Rules changing for by-the-hour motels

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A crackdown on Charlotte hotels and motels means no more pay-by-the-hour room rentals.

Plus, police and code enforcement will have more power to charge people with crimes and levy fines.

Bad luck landed Patricia Lowery in a west side weekly motel. Her husband lost his job and the car broke.

"We couldn’t afford an apartment in Charlotte,” she said.

Now, "home" is smaller than some people's bathrooms. Neighbors are in similar situations, struggling from paycheck to paycheck.

Sometimes, one person's home is another's no-tell motel.

"Two people are going to get a room for a little while to carry on for a little while, then go on their separate ways,” Lowry said.

Police say drugs and prostitution inside leads to robberies and disorderly conduct outside.

"From screams in the night to prostitution that spills onto our streets to my Saturday ritual of cleaning up beer cans and bottles,” said Commonwealth Park neighbor Ben Kinney.

Commonwealth Park neighbors showed pictures of their problems, including a john and prostitute hook-up.

Monday's crackdown brings tougher hotel/motel ordinances: No hourly room rental. Employees who don't cooperate with police can be charged with a misdemeanor. Hotels and motels not already regulated by the state or county can be fined $1,000 for failing to meet minimum health and safety standards.

Charlotte Inn owner Nancy Prescott says the bad rep is often undeserved.

"I have a lot of people in the hotel who have done nothing except drive from out of town,” she said.

Lowery welcomes the changes.

"I think people like to feel safe wherever they are,” she said.

One exception to the no hourly room charge is if you miss a flight and need a room for a few hours.

The tougher new changes go into effect April 1.