BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise has taken decisive action, initiating the eviction process for the Airport Inn due to a litany of alleged illicit activities, including drug use, violent crimes, and various safety hazards.
- The Airport Inn and Rodeway Inn near the Boise Airport were initially told to vacate on Thursday, February 15.
- A recent investigation uncovers alarming trends, shedding light on alleged drug overdoses, violent crimes, and theft.
- One Airport Inn employee who lived at the hotel claims she has not received a paycheck in over a year.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"When I first started working there, everything was great," says Ashley Williams, a former employee at the Airport Inn.
Ashley Williams says she had been working at the front desk and living at the Airport Inn for almost a year and a half when she received word that she had three days to vacate. While the Airport Inn was just a pit stop for some, for many it was home.
"I would say it's 20 families. There are elderly people here, people who have nowhere to go," says Williams, including herself.
"So I have half of it right here, the other half is just over here," said Williams, who is picking up and moving everything she owned to her parents.
"Surprisingly, I didn’t know I could fit so much stuff in such a little room," she added.
The City of Boise is taking action against the Airport Inn and the nearby Rodeway Inn, citing a litany of safety concerns and criminal activities. But, Williams says the eviction is just the tip of the iceberg for problems at the Airport Inn and its owner, Reinard Pollman.
Despite living and working there since November of 2022, Williams says she hasn't received a paycheck from Pollman since January of 2023.
"He wasn’t paying us for the last year at least," says Williams.
Jocanda Nielson, Pollman’s business partner, says it was never their intention for employees to live at the inn, and she says those who have been working have been paid.
"We’re not going to cheat anyone. That’s never been our intention, but they had a place to live, and a lot of them weren’t working. So, we’re going to have to work out with each one of them if we owe them anything. Which I really don’t think we do," said Nielson.
As for Williams, "Yeah, trying to figure everything out. I’m definitely going to try to get that year of wages. I'm probably going to get a lawyer," she said.
