WOODWAY, TX — As the demand for housing continues to grow in Central Texas, some prospective renters say they are forced to stay in hotels while they wait for apartments to open up.
Several hotels in Central Texas, including SpringHill Suites in Woodway, are seeing an increase in the number of people that are checking in for extended stays. Many are waiting for their leases to start or looking for a lease.
Woodway SpringHill Suites sales manager Catherine Oliver says in previous years, there would just be a few extended stays in the hotel at a time. Now, she says about 30 percent of the hotel's business is based on extended stays.
"The town is seeing a lot of progression with developments, extended stay, and people that are moving from another state to Waco," Oliver said.
She mentioned that people stay for a few weeks up to a couple months as they sometimes need to start a job in the area and don't have housing yet.
One of those people is Daniel Ramos, who just moved with his family to the area from California.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything, I'm sorry I don't have anything," he was told by one property manager after another.
"And I think after the fifth place, I was like, 'What are we gonna do?'" he said.
After visiting more than ten places in a single day, he was able to find a place in Temple with an opening at the end of July. While it's a roughly 30-minute commute to work, he's happy to at least have a place to live.
"I'm just counting down the days until I can move into my apartment," Ramos said.
Right now, he's in a room at SpringHill Suites with his whole family--his fiance, his daughters, and even his dog and cat.
The cramped living situation is just temporary, however, as Ramos and many others look forward to unpacking in a more permanent place.
