Living in a hotel is a reality for nearly a thousand families in DeKalb County.
A survey presented to county leaders shows upfront costs, credit requirements, and a lack of affordable housing are keeping families stuck in hotels for months or longer.

When rising rent pushed Ben Evans out of his apartment, he didn't choose his next home. It simply became the only option he could afford.

"I didn't want to live here. I had to," Evans said.

For the last three months, home has been a single-room hotel off a busy DeKalb County corridor. Four walls, a bed, a mini-fridge — and a weekly rate that drains nearly everything he earns.

"Just somewhere to put your head at night," Evans said. "So it's easier for me to be like — here's $400, shut it up and lay down."

That $400-a-week cost is common. According to a new survey by Georgia State University, more than 2,004 families in DeKalb County are living in hotels, paying weekly rates that often exceed the cost of a traditional lease. 

But for families without savings, credit, or access to move-in deposits, extended-stay hotels become the last stop before homelessness. And the conditions aren't easy.

"You ever see 'Jumanji?' It's the ghetto version of that," Evans said, describing the chaos and danger he sees outside his door. "I just don't like the area because it's dangerous and the jail is right there."

A bigger crisis than anyone realized

Sue Sullivan, a family advocate who helped lead the Georgia State survey, walked through 42 hotels across the county — documenting the realities inside. What she found wasn't temporary lodging. It was a hidden housing system.

"We met people staying not just weeks, but months — and some more than five years," Sullivan said.

Her research began after receiving a report from DeKalb County Schools noting 472 students identified as living in hotels.

"I knew that was way off the mark," she said. "The number was much greater."

The survey confirmed it: more than 1,600 children are living in hotels across DeKalb County — more than triple what school data suggested.

For many of these families, the lack of stable housing means kids study on beds, live without kitchens, and often move from place to place as rates rise or rules change.

A system not built for living

Extended-stay hotels often promise convenience - but for families, they represent a financial trap. 

A room may cost $350–$450 a week, but renters don't get the legal protections of a lease, the security of a stable neighborhood, or access to full kitchens. That forces families into constant spending on takeout or microwavable meals — costs that quickly add up.

Evans says he's trying to save enough for a traditional apartment, but weekly payments and unpredictable fees make that difficult.

"I don't really know," he said. "It's like we're waiting on an end."

What comes next?

Local housing advocates say expanding affordable housing, streamlining access to vouchers, and creating pathways for hotel residents to transition into long-term rentals are essential. 

Without intervention, they warn that the number of families turning to hotels will only continue to rise.

Evans hopes his hotel stay is temporary. But he knows hundreds of others are stuck in the same cycle.

"I think we're all screwed," he said. "I'm working toward an apartment of my own… but it's hard."