purpose built communities
not in our backyard: how a community stopped a 2-star hotel
In September 2025, a 2-star budget hotel was slated to enter the Connect Community footprint—a neighborhood already battling safety concerns. The proposal came from a developer who, paradoxically, is also key to expanding desperately needed senior housing in the area. That made the fight delicate: oppose the project without burning the bridge. The variance request sought approval to place a 40-room motel within 750 feet of both Xavier Academy and a public health facility.
Children at Risk – Students from Xavier Academy and 8 Million Stories would have to pass the motel daily, exposed to loitering, unsafe activity, and adult entertainment just steps from their classrooms.
Community Safety – Reviews of similar hotels described “30 shady people hanging outside,” and easy access to adult content. Families feared more crime, trafficking, and instability.
Neighborhood Growth – Residents made it clear: they welcome higher-quality development, but a budget motel sends a message of decline, not progress.
OBJECTIVE
SCOPE
Safety & Public Health: Residents emphasized the danger of putting profit over people.
Children & Youth: Parents and advocates painted a vivid picture of kids walking past unsafe spaces.
Responsible Growth & Development: Families expressed support for growth—but growth that lifts, not lowers, the community.
RESULTS
The One World Strategy Group worked in collaboration with the team to develop strategy, tactics and prepare testimony and talking points with three powerful community messages and voices.
This was a sensitive, high-stakes win: the variance was denied without alienating the developer, preserving the pathway for future collaboration on senior housing.
This victory wasn’t just about stopping a hotel—it set the tone for the kind of development the community deserves. By uniting residents, schools, nonprofits, and advocates around safety, children, and growth, Connect Community proved that organized voices can overcome even well-funded proposals. The lessons are clear: strong testimony can outweigh developers, unified messaging keeps focus sharp, and balance allows the community to win without burning bridges for future collaboration.