KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Some families are being put on notice of rising prices to stay in their hotel rooms long term.

The increases have already priced out some people, causing them to switch their stays and search for other places to call home.

For those like single mom Vanessa Figueroa, it’s a problem and just another symptom of a lack of affordable housing in the area where she’s trying to raise her children.

According to a University of Florida’s June study of homelessness and affordable housing across Florida, the central region Orange-Osceola-Seminole counties had the highest number of homeless families in 2020; that was 4,136 families, with most staying doubled-up in hotels and motels.

“You’re trying to provide a home for kids and they’re just raising. They’re making it more difficult,” Figueroa said.

Figueroa has been living in her current hotel room for about two months, staying in Kissimmee near her job, with three children. She’s paying about $1,100 per month now. Figueroa just left another hotel, the Weinan Hotel, which she learned is increasing rates by $100 to $200 per month, to $1,100 to $1,200 for long-term stays.

Working in the hospitality industry in her current situation just isn’t providing her the income she needs to keep up.

“Right now, my pay rate is $6.98 an hour," she said. "That’s just for host. I mean, I get tips but...right now, it’s already hard with prices going up everywhere."

The manager of the Weinan Hotel said she was too busy for an interview.  

Just down the highway at another inn, Sevilla, a staff member explained the rising rates trend. Sevilla Inn’s prices fluctuate from day to day, depending on the time of week booked, the staffer said. Business is better and more profitable this way, especially during the busy tourist season and by prioritizing nightly stays rather than weekly or monthly long-term guests, the employee said. Also, families unable to meet the longer-stay rates have been evicted.

Local nonprofit Embrace of Celebration has been visiting families staying in hotels and motels and distributing necessities like food and hygiene items each weekend.

Bettina Grzeskowiak said she helped 209 people at her rounds recently and had to cut off early because her supply ran short.

“They share, our families, share the hotel rooms with four to five people, and they barely make enough for the rent,” she said.

As Grzeskowiak’s charity group treated Figueroa and another family to breakfast, they shared stories around the table about their struggles.

“Knowing that families are already struggling and they’re having to resort to living in hotels, I don’t think (hotels) should make it harder,” Figueroa said.

She said she's hoping for better days ahead while trying to hang on, eventually wanting to get her family into a house again.

While Osceola County has some Emergency Rental Assistance help available for some families like hers, she said she falls through the cracks when they don’t qualify for the help for one reason or another.