Los Angeles is considering a new solution to its homelessness problem, and it has already become a contentious debate.
With the details, here's our World News Editor, Kate Gregan.
On an average night in Los Angeles County, more than 60,000 people are homeless.
At the same time, there are more than 20,000 vacant hotel rooms.
In 2024, residents will get to vote on whether those rooms should be offered to those living on the streets.
Kurt Petersen is the co-president of Unite Here Local 11 -- the union spearheading this proposal.
"We think this is one part of the solution. By no means do we think this solves the homeless crisis, but do hotels have a part to play, of course they do."
If voters give the green light, every hotel in town will be required to report vacancies every day at 2 pm, then, welcome homeless people into those rooms.
Manoj Patel manages a motel in the city... he voluntarily rents some rooms to homeless people who are vetted and paid for by a local church -- but he told CNN, he's against this bill.
"We barely are surviving number one, number two we have to think of the safety of our staff and number three we are not professionally or in any other way equipped with any of the supporting mechanisms that the homeless guests would require."
What services would be provided remains unclear -- also unclear? The funding. But the hotels would be paid market rate for the rooms.
The measure would also have implications for developers, who would have to replace any housing knocked down to make way for new hotels.
Opponents of this bill are concerned that some guests would damage property -- or fear tourists would be put off from even coming to LA.
Stuart Waldman represents hotels and other businesses across the north of the city.
"I wouldn't want my kids around people that I'm not sure about, I wouldn't want to be in an elevator with somebody who's clearly having a mental breakdown, the idea that you can intermingle homeless folks with paying, normal guests just doesn't work out."
But Kurt Peterson says that opinion -- and stereotyping homeless people, is unfair.
"We don't want to head backwards into the segregated south but that's kind of the language that they're talking about. There is a certain class of people, less than humans, animals they almost describe them as, to be honest with you.
"They don't seem to understand who the unhoused are, we're talking about seniors, students, working people, that's who the vouching program will help the most."
Residents will cast their ballots in March 2024.
