Albany Co. lawmakers raise migrant living condition concerns

Two Albany County legislators are calling on the state attorney general's office to take a look into some local hotels currently housing migrants.

These hotels include the Sure Stay Plus in Colonie and the Ramada and Holiday Inns in Albany.

The calls for investigation, from Republican legislators Patty Lockart and Frank Mauriello, come after New York Times reports of poor living conditions came to the county's attention, according to lawmakers. They also come after DocGo, the company contracted by New York City to provide transportation, security and other services to the migrants, was not coordinating with local officials on migrant matters, they said.

According to the report, there were also allegations of mistreatment and false promises by the company.

The county lawmakers say the Colonie Hotel currently houses at least 50 children, and that there's been no evidence of any coordination with local school districts.

"We are deeply disturbed about these reported conditions, and we ask you to investigate those conditions as expeditiously as possible,” Lockart and Mauriello wrote in their letter to Attorney General Letitia James.

Some community members have planned events for the migrants in hopes to get them more acclimated to the area.

The Eden's Rose Foundation is holding a health care event in hopes of getting the newcomers access to care. It's calling on translators and bilingual people to help bridge the language barrier at the event. That's happening at 498 1st Street in Albany from 2-5 p.m. The Allies for Justice in Schenectady County is hosting its second donation drive today. It's encouraging people to bring items like clothes, toiletries and other essential items. That's at the Rotterdam Community Center from 4-7 p.m.