ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — People staying at the Hawthorn Extended Stay in Allouez are facing uncertainty after the village issued a cease-and-desist order against the business, citing health and fire code violations.
For Green Bay resident Paddy Smith, it means searching for another place for her family to call home.
Smith and her children have been staying at the Hawthorn Extended Stay after their rental home was condemned. She said learning about the village's order was stressful.
“It was stressful. We all thought we had to leave. We thought we had just gotten here you know, and now we had that on our door, and now we have to leave. Where are we going to go now,” Smith said.
“I've been living here and trying to pay things. It's just really hard,” she added.
Why did Allouez issue a cease-and-desist order?
The Village of Allouez issued the cease-and-desist order against the owners on Oct. 1, preventing the hotel from accepting new guests. The Village adopted a new ordinance in August after a number of complaints from the property.
People who had already been staying at the property for more than 30 days were exempted from immediately leaving under the order.
According to records obtained by NBC 26 through an open records request, the village cited a number of health and fire code violations at the property, including fines for noncompliance.
NBC 26 spoke with Trevor Fuller, Allouez's planning and community development director, about the village's concerns and the people currently staying at the property.
“I understand that everyone needs a place to stay, and our job as the village is to ensure those places are safe and habitable,” Fuller said.
What happens next?
The Village of Allouez says it is confident and optimistic that the business owner will comply with village ordinances and public health code requirements.
NBC 26 reached out to the business owner and Wyndham Hotels for comment but has not yet received a response.
In the meantime, Smith said her family is working through the housing process as they try to find somewhere else to live.
“We're on housing, and we're waiting for housing to go through now to see if we can get out and away from this,” Smith said.
For now, she said her family is taking things day by day.
“I don't know. All I know is that we keep trying and pushing forward every day, one day at a time.”
NBC 26 will continue following the village's enforcement action, whether the property comes into compliance and what happens next for the people currently staying at the Hawthorn Extended Stay.
Please stay with NBC 26 as this story develops.
