'I don't understand why.' Window washer says weekly rent hike at Yarmouth Resort too much

WEST YARMOUTH — A week ago, on Sunday afternoon, Ilio Perez, 46, had his room at the condo-motel Yarmouth Resort packed up.

His clothes were folded. Seven paperback books centered on Latin American history were packed into a cardboard box that once held rice snacks. And more importantly, his window-washing gear was ready to go.

“Those are the most precious things because with that I can work,” said Perez, who washes windows for a living along with making food deliveries.

Perez had stayed at the 337-square-foot Room 249 in the 343 Main St., or Route 28, motel for about a month, paying $300 in cash each week. But around July 31, he found a note written in marker slid under his door explaining the rates would soon increase to $700 per week.

Perez estimates he makes that much —$700 per week — in income.

The new rate is beyond his budget, he said.

"I don't understand why they raised it so much," said Perez. "I even cleaned the windows from the outside."

Without a contractual agreement in place, hotels and motels can raise rates without much notice.

Affordable and attainable housing for people with various income levels and needs is key to a vibrant, healthy, and resilient region, according to the Cape Cod Commission. The Cape "is facing a significant challenge in providing affordable and attainable housing for current and future Cape Cod residents." The challenge affects not only those trying to find housing but also the Cape's economy, when employers try to find employees locally, according to the commission.

Perez is originally from the Dominican Republic and came to the U.S. as a teenager. He's lived on Cape Cod and the Islands for about eight years on and off.

Ricky Johnson, 60, has lived at the motel for the past three months, but plans to leave as soon as he can secure a new place. He said he believes most people living there received the rate increase and has heard 25 people have already moved out.

"It's not worth that. We ain't got no kitchens or none of that like the other hotel amenities up and down the street," said Johnson, who works as a DoorDash delivery driver.

Ownership of Yarmouth Resort

Built in 1986, Yarmouth Resort contains 137 rooms. On Dec. 16, 2022, Yarmouth-based Maclynn sold 117 of those units for $7,368,000 to three Massachusetts limited liability companies: Ayushi, LLC, of Lexington; Meshkav Yarmouth, LLC, of Quincy; and Cape Hotels 20Ten, LLC, of Dedham.

Dilip Patel, Ashok Patel and Navin Patel are named as managers at Ayushi. Tapan Patel, Jigar Patel and Bhavya Patel are managers at Cape Hotels 20Ten, while Nilesh Patel is manager of Meshkav Yarmouth.

More: Confused about 'affordable' housing on Cape Cod? Here's a primer.

Ashok Patel initially responded to an email from the Times requesting a phone call, but did not respond to subsequent messages. Attempts to reach other owners at those companies, primarily by email or phone and three visits to the property, were also unsuccessful.

On July 14 of this year, 343 Yarmouth Realty, LLC, bought 11 more units from various owners, according to deeds filed with Barnstable County Registry of Deeds. Ashok Patel, Jigar Patel and Nilesh Patel are also managers at 343 Yarmouth Realty, according to the Secretary of State's website.

Dilip Patel and Ashok Patel are president and vice president of Jamsan Hotel Management, a Lexington company that manages the Aiden by Best Western @ Cape Point, in West Yarmouth, and the Dan'l Webster Inn and Spa in Sandwich, among other hotels in New England, according to the company's website.

Efforts to speak with Yarmouth Resort general manager Debbie Robbins by phone and text were unsuccessful.

Rent hike scares a tenant

Building Commissioner Mark Grylls said Yarmouth Resort holds a motel license and operates as a "motel with condominium ownership." He said he's not sure how many people live in motels in Yarmouth and estimated the town contains 3,400-plus hotel rooms.

Town Planner Kathy Williams did not respond to a phone call or email.

The rent hike is hard to swallow for some, though.

"Everyone's shocked, everybody's mad, everyone's scared," said Johnson, who said he makes up to $400 per week. "There's no place on the Cape."

Johnson said the motel seems to be popular with seasonal workers. Some people are "roped in" and intend to pay the increase "even though they don't have the money."

"I feel for the foreign people. They came here to work, now they can't," said Johnson. "What are they going to do, sleep in their car?"

What is a 'condotel'?

Yarmouth Resort transitioned into a condominium form of ownership in 2005, when the Yarmouth Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a petition by Miracle LLC, the motel's then-owner.

At that time, the zoning board imposed several conditions on the preliminary approval meant to preserve its motel use and prevent long-term residencies, including that the rental of a unit may not be arranged directly by the owner and must be done through the motel management company.

An explainer from Yarmouth Resort around 2006 defines a "condotel" as "a hassle-free vacation home that can generate income to offset costs."

"By allowing management to rent out the unit when you are not using it you can receive a portion of the revenue," reads the "Frequently Asked Questions" document.

Owners at a condo motel are allowed to use the unit and amenities year-round. Housekeeping, maintenance, and inspections are all handled by a professional management team, reads the explainer. It differs from a timeshare, where an owner has a small percentage of the entire property with a right to use it for a short period.

'No way around it'

When he learned about the rent hike, Perez reached out to some local housing resources and was told to scour Craigslist for options. But that search was a dead end.

"I'm looking for a room, not an apartment," said Perez. "They don't want to give me a room, because I'm a male. They're looking for a female. So there's no way around it.

He soon plans to catch a ferry to Nantucket where he can sleep at an office. He used to work there and was given a key and permission to stay there during emergencies.

"In the night, it's closed and I can crash there," said Perez. "It has a little kitchen and a bathroom. Pretty much all for myself but it's not really a livable place like an apartment."

He already has a job lined up making food deliveries when he gets to Nantucket. He's uncertain if he can afford to bring his car aboard the ferry.

Perez originally thought he would have to leave Monday, the day after speaking with a Times reporter at his unit, but was allowed to stay another week while still paying the $300 weekly rate after a storm disrupted his plans.

Following the rules

"I don't really want to go to Nantucket, but it seems like the only option I have left," he said in a follow-up text message to the Times.

Perez said he made sure to follow all rules while he stayed at Yarmouth Resort, saying he was told "not to party or not to make a mess."

"I didn't make a mess, I didn't make parties. I was just working all the time," he said.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Yarmouth Resort operates as a motel with condominium ownership