Hotels

LAGOS, Portugal — The Bam Bam Beach Bitcoin bar, on an uncrowded beach in southwestern Portugal, is the meeting place.

To get there, you drive past a boat harbor, oceanside hotels and apartment buildings, then park near a sleepy seafood restaurant and walk down a wooden path that cuts through a sand dune. Yellow Bitcoin flags blow in the wind. The conversations about cryptocurrencies and a decentralized future flow.

“People always doubt when to buy, when to sell,” said Didi Taihuttu, a Dutch investor who moved to town this summer and is one of Bam Bam’s owners. “We solve that by being all in.”

melted down, and crypto companies like the experimental bank Celsius Network declared bankruptcy as fears over the global economy yanked down values of the risky assets. Thousands of investors were hurt by the crash. The price of Bitcoin, which peaked at more than $68,000 last year, remains off by more than 70 percent.

But in this Portuguese seaside idyll, confidence in cryptocurrencies is undimmed. Every Friday, 20 or so visitors from Europe and beyond gather at Bam Bam to share their unwavering faith in digital currencies. Their buoyancy and cheer endure across Portugal and in other crypto hubs around the world, such as Puerto Rico and Cyprus.

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In beach towns like Ericeira and Lagos, shops and restaurants show their acceptance of digital currencies by taking Bitcoin as payment. Lisbon, the capital, has become a hub for crypto-related start-ups such as Utrust, a cryptocurrency payment platform, and Immunefi, a company that identifies security vulnerabilities in decentralized networks.

“Portugal should be the Silicon Valley of Bitcoin,” Mr. Taihuttu said. “It has all the ingredients.”

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CorpHousing Group Inc. (“CorpHousing,” “CHG”, or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CHG), which utilizes a long-term lease, asset-light business model to acquire and manage a growing portfolio of short-term rental properties in major metropolitan cities, today announced financial results for the second quarter (“Q2 2022”) and six months ended June 30, 2022.

2022 Second Quarter Financial Overview Compared to 2021 Second Quarter

Net rental revenue rose 144% to $10.2 million from $4.2 million
Gross profit improved to $2.9 million, or 28% of net rental revenue, from $0.1 million, or 3.5% of net rental revenue
Income before provision for income taxes improved to $1.5 million from a loss of $(1.1) million
Net income improved to $0.8 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, from a net loss of $(1.1) million
EBITDA was $2.1 million compared to EBITDA of $(0.6) million

2022 Six Months Financial Overview Compared to 2021 Six Months

Net rental revenue rose 158% to $19.3 million from $7.5 million
Gross profit improved to $5.4 million, or 28% of net rental revenue, from a loss of $(0.4) million
Income before provision for income taxes improved to $2.9 million from a loss of $(2.4) million
Net income improved to $2.2 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, from a net loss of $(2.4) million
EBITDA was $4.1 million compared to EBITDA of $(1.8) million

Operational Highlights

Generated gross proceeds of $13.5 million via Initial Public Offering (August 2022)
Commenced trading on Nasdaq Capital Market (August 2022)
For the six months ended June 30, 2022, managed 590 units under long-term lease
Subsequent to June 30, 2022, CHG announced the signings of separate 15-year Master Lease Agreements (“MLA”) with two luxury hotels in New York City and an historic boutique hotel in New Orleans
Inclusive of these new MLAs, CHG’s portfolio currently consists of 10 hotel properties in eight U.S. cities comprising 1,037 units
Based on current MLA pipeline, CHG expects more than 1,200 units to be operational in 10 cities during Q4 2022

“We are excited to announce our Q2 results, which we believe reflect the success of our asset-light business model, the vibrancy of our target markers, and the opportunities inherent in our industry,” said Brian Ferdinand, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CorpHousing Group. “Q2 2022 net rental revenue increased by 144%, gross profit increased 19-fold, net income improved by $1.9 million, and EBITDA for the quarter was $2.1 million. Our available units for rent increased quarter over quarter, occupancy rates improved as the effects of COVID pandemic wane, and we realized certain efficiencies from scale.

“We currently operate hotels under long-term lease agreements in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, greater Miami, New York City, Washington, DC, and Seattle, and will commence operations in New Orleans in mid-October.

We are in various stages of negotiation with a variety of potential partners that represent thousands of additional hotel units in destination locations across the United States and Europe. We believe that we are creating win-win opportunities by providing property owners the ability to create stable cash flow streams to maximize returns on their properties, which have been significantly impacted by restrictions on travel and leisure activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CHG then markets these units under our customer facing LuxUrban^TM brand to increase occupancy rates and drive operational efficiencies, thus creating the opportunity to generate high margin, recurring and predictable revenue streams. Supported by a strengthened balance sheet and seasoned team of executives, we believe that are well positioned to advance our highly scalable, predictable, and profitable business model and look forward to our future with confidence.”

Q2 2022 Overview

Net rental revenue in Q2 2022 increased 144% to $10.2 million from $4.2 million in the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 (“Q2 2021”), driven primarily by an increase in average units available to rent from 376 in Q2 2021 to 565 at Q2 2022, as well as better occupancy rates and average daily rates (“ADRs”) over this period.

Cost of revenue, which includes rental expenses for available units to rent, rose to $7.3 million in Q2 2022 from $4.0 million in Q2 2021, due primarily to the increase in size of CHG’s rental unit portfolio, as well as related increases in furniture rentals, cleaning costs, cable / WIFI costs and credit card processing fees.

Gross profit improved to $2.9 million, or 28% of net rental revenue, from $0.1 million, or 3.5% of net rental revenue. Higher gross profit and gross margin was primarily attributable to a reduction in the impact of COVID-19 on our operations, higher unit counts and better occupancy rates and ADRs.

Total general and administrative expenses in Q2 2022 increased to $0.9 million, or 9% of net rental revenue, from $0.7 million, or 18% of net rental revenue, in Q2 2021, attributable to an increased number of units in operation.

Income before provision for income taxes improved to $1.5 million from a loss of $(1.1) million, reflecting a significant increase in net rental revenue in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and the benefits of scale-driven operating efficiencies.

Net income improved to $0.8 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(1.1) million.

EBITDA rose to $2.1 million, or 21% of net rental revenue, in Q2 2022 compared to negative EBITDA of $(0.6) million.

For a discussion of the financial measures presented herein which are not calculated or presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), see “Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below and the schedules to this press release for additional information and reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures. The company presents non-GAAP measures such as EBITDA to assist in an analysis of its business. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered an alternative to GAAP measures as an indicator of the company’s operating performance.

Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 9:00 am Eastern Time to discuss the results.

Investors interested in participating in the live call can dial:

(877) 407-9753 – U.S.
(201) 493-6739 – International

A webcast of the event may be accessed via the following link: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=ltKz5SSV.

CorpHousing Group Inc.

CorpHousing Group (CHG) utilizes a long-term lease, asset-light business model to acquire and manage a growing portfolio of short-term rental properties in major metropolitan cities. The Company’s future growth focuses primarily on seeking to create “win-win” opportunities for owners of dislocated hotels, including those impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, while providing CHG favorable operating margins. CHG operates these properties in a cost-effective manner by leveraging technology to identify, acquire, manage, and market them globally to business and vacation travelers through dozens of third-party sales and distribution channels, and the Company’s own online portal. Guests at the Company’s properties are provided Heroic Service™ under CHG’s consumer brands, including LuxUrban. CHG’s Heroic Service^TM provides guests a hassle-free experience which exceeds their expectations with “Heroes” who respond to any issue in a timely, thoughtful, and thorough manner.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including with respect to the expected closing of noted lease transactions and continued closing on additional leases for properties in the Company’s pipeline, as well the Company’s anticipated ability to commercialize efficiently and profitably the properties it leases and will lease in the future. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the prospectus forming part of the Company’s effective Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-262114). Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to business strategy, leasing terms, high-level occupancy rates, and sales and growth plans. The financial projection provided herein are based on certain assumptions and existing and anticipated market, travel and public health conditions, all of which may change. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The Company seeks to achieve profitable, long-term growth by monitoring and analyzing key operating metrics, including EBITDA. The Company defines EBITDA as net income before interest, taxes, and depreciation. The Company’s management uses this non-GAAP financial metric and related computations to evaluate and manage the business and to plan and make near and long-term operating and strategic decisions. The management team believes this non-GAAP financial metric is useful to investors to provide supplemental information in addition to the GAAP financial results. Management reviews the use of its primary key operating metrics from time-to-time. EBITDA is not intended to be a substitute for any GAAP financial measure and as calculated, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of performance of other companies in other industries or within the same industry. The Company’s management team believes it is useful to provide investors with the same financial information that it uses internally to make comparisons of historical operating results, identify trends in underlying operating results, and evaluate its business.

A reconciliation of net income to EBITDA will be provided in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 to be filed on September 26, 2022, under the section thereof entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Reconciliation of Unaudited Historical Results to EBITDA.”

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited)

	(unaudited)
	June 30,			December 31,
	2022			2021
ASSETS
*Current Assets*
Cash	$	556		$	6,998
Processor retained funds		4,616,255			56,864
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		512,939			166,667
Deferred offering costs		1,234,500			771,954
Security deposits – current		276,943			276,943
Total Current Assets	$	6,641,193		$	1,279,426
*Other Assets*
Furniture and equipment, net		8,944			11,500
Restricted cash		1,100,000			1,100,000
Security deposits – noncurrent		4,108,010			1,377,010
Operating lease right-of-use asset, net		49,941,971			—
Total Other Assets		55,158,925			2,488,510
Total Assets	$	61,800,118		$	3,767,936
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
*Current Liabilities*
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	5,301,053		$	4,209,366
Rents received in advance		4,071,095			1,819,943
Merchant cash advances – net of unamortized costs of $0 and $57,768, respectively		575,489			1,386,008
Loans payable – current portion		2,780,054			1,267,004
Loans payable – SBA – PPP Loan – current portion		815,183			815,183
Convertible loans payable – related parties – current portion		2,596,865			—
Loans payable – related parties – current portion		1,071,128			22,221
Operating lease liability – current		7,182,381			—
Income taxes payable		750,000			—
Total Current Liabilities		25,143,248			9,519,725
*Long-Term Liabilities*
Loans payable		545,789			925,114
Loans payable – SBA – EIDL Loan		800,000			800,000
Loans payable – related parties		—			496,500
Convertible loans payable – related parties		700,195			2,608,860
Line of credit		94,975			94,975
Deferred rent		—			536,812
Operating lease liability		43,962,492			—
Total Long-term Liabilities		46,103,451			5,462,261
Total Liabilities		71,246,699			14,981,986
Commitments and Contingencies
*Stockholders’ Deficit*
Members’ Deficit		—			(11,214,050	)
Common stock (shares authorized, issued and outstanding – 90,000,000; 21,675,001; 21,675,001; respectively)		216			—
Accumulated deficit		(9,446,797	)		—
*Total Stockholders’ Deficit*		(9,446,581	)		(11,214,050	)
*Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit*	$	61,800,118		$	3,767,936

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations

(Unaudited)

For the Three Months Ended

For the Six Months Ended

June 30, 2022

June 30, 2021

June 30, 2022

June 30, 2021

Rental Revenue

12,656,540

6,728,686

24,419,439

11,688,873

Refunds and Allowances

2,455,202

2,545,820

5,118,676

4,199,978

Net Rental Revenue

10,201,338

4,182,866

19,300,763

7,488,895

Cost of Revenue

7,344,720

4,035,238

13,930,882

7,920,531

Gross Profit (Loss)

2,856,618

147,628

5,369,881

(431,636

)

General and Administrative Expenses

Administrative and other

809,121

701,040

1,559,742

1,258,458

Professional fees

76,500

37,390

305,485

90,404

Total General and Administrative Expenses

885,621

738,430

1,865,227

1,348,862

Net Income (Loss) Before Other Income (Expense)

1,970,997

(590,802

)

3,504,654

(1,780,498

)

Other Income (Expense)

Other income

137,154

434

587,067

467

Interest and financing costs

(595,742

)

(542,764

)

(1,159,879

)

(660,007

)

Total Other Expenses

(458,588

)

(542,330

)

(572,812

)

(659,540

)

Income (Loss) Before Provision for Income Taxes

1,512,409

(1,133,132

)

2,931,842

(2,440,038

)

Provision for Income Taxes

Current

750,000

—

750,000

—

Net Income (Loss)

762,409

(1,133,132

)

2,181,842

(2,440,038

)

Basic and diluted earnings per common share

0.04

—

0.10

—

Basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding

21,675,001

—

21,315,747

—

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the condensed consolidate financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with GAAP, we use EBITDA as a non-GAAP financial measure.

The following table provides reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA:


	Three Months Ended June 30, (unaudited)					Six Months Ended June 30, (unaudited)
	2022		2021			2022		2021
Net Income (loss)	$	762,409	$	(1,133,132	)	$	2,181,842	$	(2,440,038	)
Provision for Income Taxes	$	750,000	$	—		$	750,000	$	—
Interest and Financing cost	$	595,742	$	542,764		$	1,159,879	$	660,007
Depreciation Expense	$	—	$	—		$	2,556	$	—
EBITDA	$	2,108,151	$	(590,368	)	$	4,094,277	$	(1,780,031	)

EBITDA is defined as net income or loss before the impact of interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a key measure of our financial performance and measures our efficiency and operating cash flow before financing costs, taxes and working capital needs. We utilize EBITDA because it provides us with an operating metric closely tied to the operations of the business.

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Leonard Glenn Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to bribing military officials so his company could overcharge the U.S. Navy for servicing ships.

A Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” who orchestrated one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history has been arrested in Venezuela after fleeing before his sentencing, authorities said Wednesday.

U.S. Marshals Service via AP

The international manhunt for Leonard Glenn Francis ended with his arrest by Venezuelan authorities Tuesday morning at the Caracas airport as he was about to board an airplane for another country, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Francis had traveled to Venezuela from Mexico with a stopover in Cuba, Interpol Venezuela Director General Carlos Garate Rondon said in a statement posted on Instagram. Francis was headed to Russia and was arrested at the main international airport in Caracas, the agency said.

The arrest came on the eve of his scheduled sentencing in a federal court in California for a bribery scheme that lasted more than a decade and involved dozens of U.S. Navy officers.

There was no immediate word on when he might be extradited to the United States.

At the sentencing hearing Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Janis Sammartino announced to the court that Francis was in custody in Venezuela and that a “no bail arrest warrant” had been issued.

“This turn of events raises several issues, and obviously will have an impact on other cases,” she said. A sentencing hearing for four Navy officers who went to trial in the case and were found guilty is set for October.

Prosecutors asked the court to note that Francis failed to appear at his sentencing hearing as ordered, while defense attorneys notified the court that they would be filing a motion severing their ties with Francis due to an “irreparable break down of the attorney-client relationship.”

Sammartino set a Dec. 14 status hearing for Francis with the caveat that all parties could meet sooner depending on how events unfold.

“I believe that’s all we can accomplish this morning,” Sammartino said.

The U.S. government faces an uphill challenge returning the fugitive back to American soil. The U.S. government doesn’t recognize Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government, has no embassy in the country and has imposed crushing sanctions on the country that has further embittered relations. Law enforcement cooperation between the two countries is rare.

Francis was under home arrest in San Diego when he cut off his GPS ankle bracelet and escaped on Sept. 4. Ten U.S. agencies searched for Francis and authorities issued a $40,000 reward for his arrest.

U.S. authorities also issued a red notice, which asks law enforcement worldwide to provisionally arrest someone with the possibility of extradition. Malaysia and Singapore both have extradition agreements with the United States.

Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to offering prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, gourmet meals and more than $500,000 in bribes to Navy officials and others to help his Singapore-based ship servicing company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA. Prosecutors said the company overcharged the Navy by at least $35 million for servicing ships, many of which were routed to ports he controlled in the Pacific.

Francis had been allowed to remain in home confinement to receive medical care while he cooperated with the prosecution. With his help, prosecutors secured convictions of 33 of 34 defendants, including more than two dozen Navy officers.

Sammartino had feared Francis would run when she denied a request four years ago to allow him to be under house arrest without around-the-clock security guards.

The judge repeatedly maintained that security guards must be on site for Francis to be on house arrest, despite his poor health.

According to a transcript of a closed-door hearing in February 2018, which was unsealed in January, Sammartino expressed concern that her name would come up if Francis escaped and ended up back in Malaysia if anyone asked “who let somebody do this without security.”

She raised similar concerns in a Dec. 17, 2020, after receiving a report that the home was left without anyone guarding it for nearly three hours, according to the court transcript. The guard was on a lunch break, and Francis apologized to the judge for the mishap.

Officials found no security guards when they arrived at Francis’ home in a tony San Diego neighborhood some seven hours after he removed the ankle monitor, according to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marsha, Omar Castillo. The device, believed to have been removed with heavy scissors, was found in the home.

Castillo said someone had called the San Diego police department, which sent officers to the home on the afternoon of Sept. 4. Officers found the home empty and contacted U.S. Pre-Trial Services, the federal agency in charge of his confinement, which then contacted the U.S. Marshals Service.

Neighbors reported seeing U-Haul trucks coming and going from the home one or two days before the escape, Castillo said.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

: newsy.com

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Newsy’s Scott Withers visits the largest residential recycling plant in the country, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Americans generate a lot of waste — about five pounds per person per day — and a lot of it is plastic. Those flimsy grocery bags, shrink wrap packaging and of course, bottles — lots and lots of bottles.

Every year, we toss out 2.5 million plastic bottles.

“They are highly recyclable and its imperative they end up in your recycling bin,” Republic Services External Communications Manager Jeremy Walters said.

Together, we create 400 million tons of plastic waste a year. Only two million tons of that gets recycled. We used to do better but during the pandemic, our recycling rate dropped because we started making more garbage.

“It’s how much trash is generated versus how much recycling is generated. And when that trash starts to go up, the recycling volumes start to dilute,” Walters continued.

Vegas—What happens here, gets recycled here. It’s not the official slogan for the city, but it could be.

This city is known for excess — huge hotels and big casinos. And it also has the largest residential recycling plant in the country.

Republic Services recycles two million pounds every day, which is the equivalent weight of 500 cars. Workers at the massive plant sort the mixed recyclables, plastics, aluminum, glass and paper and remove the wish-cycle items, which are things we wish we could recycle but can’t.

“Bowling balls, shoes, engine blocks, steel security doors—I promise you, if you use your imagination, we’ve seen it here,” Walters said.

Paper is easily the most recycled item — 50 million tons of it per year, and we also break down and recycle almost all of our cardboard boxes. More than 90% of those boxes get recycled.

There is plenty that doesn’t get recycled, though. One hundred and ten million glass bottles get thrown away every year. Glass can be recycled indefinitely—same with aluminum— but we still don’t recycle about seven million tons a year. And then there’s all those plastic bottles.

All the trash that we create, which does not go through recycling plants like this one, ends up piling up in landfills.

: newsy.com

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Republican governors sent more migrants to Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis took part in the latest tactic Republican governors have employed to push back on what they view as President Biden and Congressional democrats’ inaction on the migrant crisis. DeSantis sent two charter planes Wednesday carrying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard — a popular vacation spot off the coast of Massachusetts.

“The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, they all of a sudden go berserk and they’re so upset this was happening,” DeSantis said.

The planes, which were carrying roughly 50 migrants including children, arrived around 3pm with no warning, according to local officials.

Earlier this summer, Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas began sending buses full of migrants apprehended at the southern border to Washington D.C., often with no warning.

“In any one sector in the state of Texas, we have more than 5,000 people coming across that sector every single day,” Abbott said.

On Thursday, two buses carrying migrants also arrived at the U.S. Naval Observatory — the vice president’s official residence in Washington D.C. Those buses came from Del Rio, Texas.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public health emergency last week in order to redirect more resources to support the thousands of migrants who have arrived in the nation’s capital from Texas and Arizona. And just last month, Texas Gov. Abbott began sending migrants to New York and Chicago as welll.

Illinois governor JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation and has tapped the state’s national guard to help handle the hundreds of migrants being sent from Texas.

“Let me be clear: while other states may be treating these vulnerable families as pawns, here in Illinois, we are treating them as people and when a person comes urgently seeking help here in Illinois we offer them a helping hand,” Pritzker said.

Nearly a dozen busloads of immigrants have arrived in recent weeks in Chicago, with some migrants being relocated by the state to hotels in the suburbs — angering local mayors.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called on the Biden administration to provide more federal assistance in light of Texas’ action.

“Governor Abbott’s racist and xenophobic practices of expulsion have only amplified the challenges many of these migrants have experienced on their journey to find a safe place,” Lightfoot said.

: newsy.com

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How to resolve homelessness is a long-running topic of conversation, with few easy answers.

The U.S. is struggling to solve its homelessness crisis.

The number of Americans living on the streets and in shelters is growing.

“This is home. Housing is so expensive, and you can’t afford. I would be killing myself to pay rent,” said Knoye Brown, who lives in a tent.

Those rent prices are only increasing.

And that means even more Americans will have a difficult time affording housing.

When you add in record high inflation, that leaves America’s homeless even more vulnerable.

In 2020 nearly 600,000 Americans were left without a home, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Data from the non-profit organization shows overall homelessness has improved by 10% since 2007.

But in 2020, the U.S. saw a 30% increase in unsheltered homelessness.

And in recent months homelessness has reached crisis levels in major cities across the country.

This year Knoxville saw a 50% increase in its homeless population, Long Beach, California saw a 62% increase since 2020 and

Phoenix saw a 33% spike.

Homelessness can come in many forms and can impact all ages.

In January 2020 70% of the homeless were individuals and 30% belonged to families with children.

“I wasn’t able to finish school because I didn’t know where I would sleep after school. So I would stay where I was at, so I had a spot,” said Conner Showen, a former young homeless person.

States and cities have set aside more funding to try to curb the issue.

New York has more than doubled its spending to over $3 billion since 2014.

Colorado’s governor approved $45 million to convert a youth corrections facility into a homeless recovery campus.

And in New Mexico, $10 million is going to communities to buy old motels and hotels and transform them into transitional housing.

These are just a string of new methods in an attempt to tackle a problem that goes back decades.

According to Bloomberg, homelessness first peaked after the Civil War when veterans without jobs struggled to find housing and freed slaves struggled to find affordable homes or jobs.

From then on affordable homes were demolished in many minority neighborhoods as part of urban renewal.

In the 1970s investment in public housing started to decline when President Richard Nixon imposed a moratorium on new public housing after he declared them a failure, and instead pivoted to housing subsidies.

And in the 80s welfare programs to support those in need were cut under President Ronald Reagan’s economic plans to lower taxes for businesses.

Bloomberg adds the AIDS crisis that hit the LGBTQ+ community, a drug epidemic and mass incarceration of people, specifically Black or Hispanic people, also fueled the problem.

This was further exacerbated by policies that favor single family housing zones.

According to the New York Times, most land plots are designed for a single-family house. Many state laws and zoning rules limit the land that can be used to build multi-unit buildings, like apartment buildings that can house multiple families.

“Really it’s a blend of a trifecta of affordable housing, mental illness and substance abuse. When you add those three at various levels for each person, this is what we’re facing,” said Jeff Hicks, the executive director of Hope Rescue Mission.

Other states like California and Oregon have taken other approaches and passed laws in recent years to end single-family zoning so more affordable housing can be built.

Some cities, like Missoula, Montana have moved toward sanction camps, known as temporary safe outdoor spaces.

“49% of the people that have gone through here are now permanently in housing, recovery, or in areas where we mended some family situations, but they have not turned back to the system,” said April Seat, the director of outreach at Hope Rescue Mission.

In the last year a number of state legislatures introduced bills that some say criminalize homelessness.

In Tennessee, it’s now a felony for homeless people to camp in parks or other public property. Some argue this is not the solution.

“I believe it’s only a misdemeanor but with a small misdemeanor and a failure to appear, now you have warrants. You can be jailed at any time, it’s difficult to walk into a state building or federally funded building because you’re worried instead of getting help or resources, you’re scared you’re going to get indebted to a lack of it all,” said Seat.

Others, like Judge Glock with the Cicero Institute, believe camping bans are the right path to helping the homeless long-term.

And record-high inflation is adding another hurdle for Americans struggling to keep up with rising rent prices.

For some those rent price increases are simply unaffordable.

“We do see people falling into homelessness because they can’t afford rent. It’s not like it’s being raised $30 to $60 and some areas are raising $200,” said Seat.

According to government data reviewed by the LA Times, new rent leases have increased by more than 11% year-over-year.

And polling from Freddie Mac found a majority of renters saw a rent price hike in the last year.

One in five say they’re “extremely likely” to miss a payment.

The severity of America’s homeless problem ranges depending on the city and state, but cities across the country are taking action to address the problem.

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness says the solution is to tackle the housing issue, integrate healthcare, strengthen crisis response systems and build career pathways. But this can’t be done without building and fostering partnerships to address the root causes of homelessness.

: newsy.com

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By Associated Press
August 22, 2022

The move comes as Qatar faces intense international scrutiny over its labor practices ahead of the tournament.

Qatar recently arrested at least 60 foreign workers who protested going months without pay and deported some of them, an advocacy group said, just three months before Doha hosts the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The move comes as Qatar faces intense international scrutiny over its labor practices ahead of the tournament. Like other Gulf Arab nations, Qatar heavily relies on foreign labor. The workers’ protest a week ago — and Qatar’s reaction to it — could further fuel the concern.

The head of a labor consultancy investigating the incident said the detentions cast new doubt on Qatar’s pledges to improve the treatment of workers. “Is this really the reality coming out?” asked Mustafa Qadri, executive director of the group Equidem.

In a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday night, Qatar’s government acknowledged that “a number of protesters were detained for breaching public safety laws.” It declined to offer any information about the arrests or any deportations.

Video footage posted online showed some 60 workers angry about their salaries protesting on Aug. 14 outside of the Doha offices of Al Bandary International Group, a conglomerate that includes construction, real estate, hotels, food service and other ventures. Some of those demonstrating hadn’t received their salaries for as many as seven months, Equidem said.

The protesters blocked an intersection on Doha’s C Ring Road in front of the Al Shoumoukh Tower. The footage matched known details of the street, including it having several massive portraits of Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, looking down on passers-by.

Al Bandary International Group, which is privately owned, did not respond to requests for comment and a telephone number registered in its name did not connect on multiple attempts to call it.

The Qatari government acknowledged that the firm hadn’t paid salaries and that its Labor Ministry would pay “all delayed salaries and benefits” to those affected.

“The company was already under investigation by the authorities for nonpayment of wages before the incident, and now further action is being taken after a deadline to settle outstanding salary payments was missed,” the government said.

Qadri said police later arrested the protesters and held them in a detention center where some described being in a stifling heat without air conditioning. Doha’s temperature this week reached around 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Qadri described police telling those held that if they can strike in hot weather, they can sleep without air conditioning.

One detained worker who called Equidem from the detention center described seeing as many as 300 of his colleagues there from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Nepal and the Philippines. He said some had been paid salaries after the protest while others hadn’t. His comments could not be corroborated.

Qatar, like other Gulf Arab nations, has in the past deported demonstrating foreign workers, and tied residency visas to employment. The right to form unions remains tightly controlled and available only to Qataris, as is the country’s limited right to assembly, according to the Washington-based advocacy group Freedom House.

Qatar, a small, energy-rich nation on the Arabian Peninsula, is home to the state-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network. However, expression in the country remains tightly controlled. Last year, Qatar detained and later deported a Kenyan security guard who wrote and spoke publicly about the woes of the country’s migrant labor force.

Since FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar in 2010, the country has taken some steps to overhaul the country’s employment practices. That includes eliminating its so-called kafala employment system, which tied workers to their employers, who had say over whether they could leave their jobs or even the country.

Qatar also has adopted a minimum monthly wage of 1,000 Qatari riyals ($275) for workers and required food and housing allowances for employees not receiving that directly from their employers.

Activists like Qadri have called on Doha to do more, particularly when it comes to ensuring workers receive their salaries on time and are protected from abusive employers.

“Have we all been duped by Qatar over the last several years?” Qadri asked, suggesting that recent reforms might have been “a cover” for authorities allowing prevailing labor practices to continue.

The World Cup will start this November in Qatar.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.

: newsy.com

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Jane — the pseudonym for the woman central to R. Kelly’s trial — said she was 15 when they first had intercourse. Kelly would have been around 30.

A woman who has been central to R. Kelly’s legal troubles for more than two decades testified Thursday that the R&B singer had sex with her “hundreds” of times before she turned 18 years old, starting when she was 15.

Jane — the pseudonym for the now 37-year-old woman at Kelly’s trial on child pornography and obstruction of justice charges — told jurors that in the late 1990s when she was 13, she asked the Grammy award-winning singer to be her godfather because she saw him as an inspiration and mentor.

She said within weeks, Kelly would call her and say sexual things. She said he first touched her breasts and other parts of her body when she was around 14 at a Chicago recording studio, and that around that time, he “started penetration” at his home at his North Side Chicago home. She told jurors she was 15 when they first had intercourse. Kelly, 55, would have been around 30 years old at the time.

Asked by a prosecutor how she would know what to do sexually, Jane answered, “He would tell me what to do.” Asked how many times they had sex before she turned 18, she answered quietly: “Uncountable times. … Hundreds.”

Kelly, who is serving a 30-year prison sentence for his conviction in a New York this year on federal charges alleging he used his fame to sexually abuse fans, is standing trial in his hometown of Chicago on several other federal charges. Among the most serious is conspiracy to obstruct justice by allegedly rigging a 2008 trial on state child pornography charges stemming from a purported video of him and Jane having sex when she was underage. Among other things, prosecutors say Kelly paid off and threatened Jane to ensure that she didn’t testify at that trial. She didn’t, and he was ultimately acquitted.

Kelly is also standing trial on charges of producing child pornography and enticing minors for sex.

Unlike at the 2008 trial, Jane cooperated with prosecutors leading up to the current trial and is a pivotal witness.

Speaking softly and tentatively when she first took the stand Thursday, Jane described her upbringing in a musical family in a Chicago suburb, including that she was home-schooled because she was in a touring musical group that she joined when she was about 12.

Jane first met Kelly in the late 1990s when she was in junior high school. She had tagged along to Kelly’s Chicago recording studio with her aunt, a professional singer who worked with Kelly. Soon after that meeting, Jane told her parents that Kelly was going to be her godfather.

Prosecutors have said Kelly shot the video of Jane in a log cabin-themed room at his North Side Chicago home between 1998 and 2000. In it, the girl is heard calling the man “daddy.” Federal prosecutors say that she and Kelly had sex hundreds of times over the years in his homes, recording studios and tour buses.

Kelly, who rose from poverty on Chicago’s South Side to become a star singer, songwriter and producer, knew a conviction in 2008 would effectively end his life as he knew it, and so prosecutors say he conspired to fix that trial.

According to prosecutors, Kelly told the parents and Jane to leave Chicago, paying for them to travel to the Bahamas and Cancun, Mexico. When they returned, prosecutors say Kelly sought to isolate Jane, moving her around to different hotels. When called before a state grand jury looking into the video, Jane, her father and mother denied it was her in it.

Tears streamed down his faced on June 13, 2008, when he was acquitted on all counts of child pornography. Some of the jurors told reporters after the trial that they weren’t convinced that the female in the video was who state prosecutors said she was.

Before the 2008 trial, Kelly carried a duffle bag full of sex tapes everywhere he went for years, but some tapes later went missing, according to court filings. In the 2000s, bootleg copies of some videos appeared on street corners throughout the U.S.

In the early 2000s, the aunt showed the parents a copy of a video she said depicted their daughter having sex with Kelly. When they confronted Kelly, he told them, “You’re with me or against me,” a government filing says.

The parents took it as a threat.

Kelly, who has denied any wrongdoing, has been trailed for decades by complaints and allegations about his sexual behavior. The scrutiny intensified after the #MeToo era and the 2019 six-part documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.”

Kelly also faces four counts of enticement of minors for sex — one each for four other accusers. They, too, are expected to testify.

Prosecutors told jurors that the evidence includes at least three videos showing Kelly having sex with underage girls.

Two Kelly associates, Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown, are co-defendants. McDavid is accused of helping Kelly fix the 2008 trial, while Brown is charged with receiving child pornography. Like Kelly, they also have denied wrongdoing.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

: newsy.com

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A woman, who was 14 when R. Kelly was said to have produced a video of them having sex, will testify in his latest trial.

R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago that starts Monday is in many ways a do-over of his 2008 state child pornography trial, at which jurors acquitted the singer on charges that he produced a video of himself when he was around 30 having sex with a girl no older than 14.

There’s one big difference: This time, prosecutors say, she will testify.

Kelly goes into Chicago federal court already sentenced by a New York federal judge to 30-year prison term for a 2021 conviction on charges he parlayed his fame to sexually abuse other young fans.

Among the most serious charges the Grammy Award winner faces at his federal trial is conspiracy to obstruct justice by rigging the 2008 trial, including by paying off and threatening the girl to ensure she did not testify.

Testimony by the woman, now in her 30s and referred to in filings only as “Minor 1,” will be pivotal. The charges against Kelly also include four counts of the enticement of minors for sex — one count each for four other accusers. All are also slated to testify.

Even just one or two convictions in Chicago could add decades to Kelly’s New York sentence, which he is appealing. With the New York sentence alone, Kelly will be around 80 before qualifying for early release.

Prosecutors at the federal trial plan to play the same VHS tape that was “Exhibit No. 1″ at the 2008 trial. While it was the only video in evidence 14 years ago, at least three other videos will be entered into evidence at the federal trial.

Prosecutors say Kelly shot the video of Minor 1 in a log cabin-themed room at his North Side Chicago home between 1998 and 2000 when she was as young as 13. In it, the girl is heard calling the man “daddy.” Federal prosecutors say that she and Kelly had sex hundreds of times over the years in his homes, recording studios and tour buses.

Kelly, who rose from poverty on Chicago’s South Side to become a star singer, songwriter and producer, knew a conviction in 2008 would effectively end his life as he knew it.

On June 13, 2008, Kelly shut his eyes tight and bowed his head as jurors returned from deliberations. As a court official read the jury’s decision and it became clear Kelly would be acquitted on all counts, tears streamed down his cheeks and he said over and over, “Thank you, Jesus.”

Two Kelly associates, Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown, are co-defendants in Chicago. McDavid is accused of helping Kelly fix the 2008 trial, while Brown is charged with receiving child pornography. Like Kelly, they have also denied any wrongdoing.

Double jeopardy rules bar the prosecution of someone for the same crimes they were acquitted of earlier. But that shouldn’t apply to the Chicago federal trial because prosecutors are alleging different crimes related to Minor 1, including obstruction of justice for fixing the 2008 trial.

Minor 1 first met Kelly in the late 1990s when she was in junior high school. She had tagged along to Kelly’s Chicago recording studio with her aunt, a professional singer working with Kelly’s music. Soon after that meeting, Minor 1 told her parents Kelly was going to be her godfather.

The parents took it as a threat.

“Minor 1’s mother did not want to go up against Kelly’s power, money, and influence by not following what he said,” the filing adds.

Kelly told the parents and Minor 1 they had to leave Chicago, paying for them to travel to the Bahamas and Cancun, Mexico. When they returned, prosecutors say Kelly sought to isolate Minor 1, moving her around to different hotels.

When called before a state grand jury looking into the video, Minor 1, her father and mother denied it was her in it. Prosecutors say an attorney for Kelly sat in on their testimony and reported back to Kelly what they said.

Prosecutors from the Cook County state’s attorney’s office chose to push ahead with charges and to take the case to trial in 2008 despite what they knew was a major hurdle: their inability to call the girl in the video to testify.

Any confidence Kelly may have had of beating similar charges a second time were likely dashed when he learned Minor 1 was now cooperating the government. With more resources, federal prosecutors also boast conviction rates of more than 90% compared to around 65% for their state counterparts.

In 2008, his lawyers argued the man in the VHS video who appeared very much to be Kelly was not Kelly. They showed jurors that Kelly has a large mole on his back, then played excerpts of the video in which no mole was visible on the man.

One of Kelly’s attorneys, Sam Adam Jr., told jurors during closings that no mole on the man’s back meant one thing: “It ain’t him. And if it ain’t him, you can’t convict.”

Some 2008 jurors told reporters after the trial that they weren’t convinced the female in the video was who state prosecutors said she was.

That shouldn’t be an issue at the Chicago federal trial. Prosecutors say both the girl and her parents will testify.

What defense Kelly’s legal team will present this time isn’t clear.

The defense is likely to say Kelly’s accusers are misrepresenting the facts. Kelly was more blunt in a 2019 interview with Gayle King of “CBS This Morning,” saying about the women: “All of them are lying.”

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

: newsy.com

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The pandemic pushed back many weddings, and now many wedding guests are struggling to attend due to inflation costs.

As weddings are upon us, a record number of ceremonies are happening this year thanks to the pandemic, which has postponed a lot of celebrations until now.

But for wedding guests, attending can carry a hefty price tag, especially with costs rising due to inflation.

Cameron Robertson was invited to eight weddings this year, not just in various states but in various countries like Spain and Lebanon.

“It’s been pretty rough in terms of the finances of it,” Robertson said.

She’s gone to three weddings so far, but had to say no to two events. She’s undecided on the other three.

“It has been a struggle financially. But those that I’ve been able to attend have been wonderful and obviously I’ve had to have those rough conversations. I’m not one to necessarily want to say no to any wedding they’re so fun,” Robertson said.

The flights, hotels, gifts, cabs, and food can all add up.

Guests spend an average of $1,000.

Robertson agreed and said she’s spent about $1,000 on each wedding.

That’s around what Credit Karma says is the average for guests.

But their survey finds that 73% of guests say inflation is negatively affecting their ability to join celebrations. Polled guests say they are forced to take on debt or miss events completely.

“It’s a lot of financial burden for one person to take on. And. You know, I’ll make up for it other ways. But you know I can get you a good registration gift,” Robertson said.

To make it work, Robertson stayed at friends’ and family’s homes, put some expenses on credit cards, and even got some financial help from her family.

“I’m not necessarily proud of saying that, but I have had to receive some financial support and to attend these weddings,” she said.

Joseph Kraemer was invited to four weddings and extended parties.

“I’ve kind of had to pick and choose with, you know, the extended wedding functions such as bachelor parties,” Kraemer said.

He decided to forgo one bachelor party resulting in one disappointed friend, but he thought of another option.

“I would love to celebrate you separately and, you know, maybe do something smaller, kind of closer to both of us. That way I can still be there and celebrate you, even though I’m not able to kind of join in the larger parties,” he said.

Avshalom Gad, a certified financial planner at Eagle Strategies with New York Life, says if multiple wedding invites are in your future, don’t let your heart overrule your head.

“You want to make sure that whatever you spend is based on your budget. You’re not overspending just because you really miss your friend and you don’t want to look bad and you have to go because everybody is going,” Gad said.

He warns you don’t want to spend all your savings now, and not just so you can retire some day. Because there will be more weddings ahead.

“Some of your friends are going to get married twice and three times. What? You’re not going to go? You’re going to go. So you’re going to save money for that, too,” Gad said.

: newsy.com

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