Precarious pathways: exploring the life circumstances of extended-stay hotel residents

Extended-stay hotels, also called budget hotels, are a housing option for households shut out from or displaced in highly commodified housing markets. Although budget hotels offer access without requiring background checks or security deposits, transitioning from these units to more stable, secure housing can be difficult. Using a housing pathways framework, this study analyzes interviews with 29 residents in suburban and exurban metro Atlanta, Georgia, to examine how people enter extended-stay hotels and attempt to exit them. The study, which identifies four distinct pathway types, highlights how participants’ housing pathways evolve and are affected by employment instability, financial strain, shifting social relationships, health challenges, incarceration, and rental screening barriers. High weekly rates prevented participants from saving money, while strict tenant screening criteria and a shortage of affordable units made moving into rental housing nearly impossible. Despite the cost, lack of tenure security, and inadequate conditions, budget hotels were often the best available option among the precarious housing arrangements used by participants. The findings suggest that reducing reliance on extended-stay hotels will require investment in affordable housing, alongside programs that reduce screening barriers and address disruptions that redirect housing pathways.