Branson closes unsafe motel: ‘Waiting was not an option’

The flashing lights of police cars and city inspectors on West 76 Country Boulevard on January 30, 2026, marked the evacuation of the 76 Family Inn because the building was posing an “immediate danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the occupants.” On January 31, 2026, Amanda Ross, the Planning and Development Director for the City of Branson, said, “Yesterday was a tough day. As a regulatory agency, we are charged with protecting people who are living in unsafe and often heartbreaking conditions. Building and safety codes exist for a reason, and when serious life-safety issues are discovered, appropriate and timely action to protect the public safety must be taken.”

76 Family Inn (Photo by Gary J. Groman)

The inn's residents and others had been raising alarms about the living conditions inside the inn. They described the place as “horrid,” filled with serious bed bug and cockroach infestations. Many felt unsafe because of faulty fire equipment. To make matters worse, the motel’s owner was an “absentee landlord” believed to be out of the country, leaving residents with few options for help.

On January 20, 2026, the City of Branson issued a formal citation to the owner of the 76 Family Inn for operating without a business license. This legal action was the first warning, putting the motel on the City’s watch list.

A week later, the situation got worse when the City received two serious complaints regarding conditions inside the inn. The Planning and Development staff quickly launched an investigation in accordance with the rules outlined in the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code and the local Dangerous Buildings Ordinance.

The day after, on January 28, inspectors came to check the specific units mentioned in the complaints. What they found confirmed the residents’ fears. The inspectors issued a “Notice and Order” to the property owner. They referred several serious issues to the Branson Fire Department and the Taney County Health Department, noting that they posed a direct threat to the safety and health of the people living there.

After the inspection on January 28, city officials tried to return to the inn to continue their work. The owner wasn’t there, and they were denied access to perform follow-up inspections. This forced the City to take legal action by asking a judge to issue an “administrative search warrant.” This legal document gave inspectors and police permission to enter the 76 Family Inn even if its management didn’t want them to.

On January 30, 2026, the judge granted the warrant. That same day, a team of inspectors from Building Services and Fire Prevention, along with the Branson Police Department, entered the 76 Family Inn to inspect the entire property.

The results of this thorough inspection were alarming! Officials found multiple conditions that made the building dangerous, including overloaded electrical systems that posed an immediate fire risk, a non-functioning fire suppression system (sprinklers), and compromised floor separation that would permit fire to more quickly spread from floor to floor. In addition to these fire hazards, inspectors noted insect infestations, mold and extremely unsanitary conditions.

With these dangerous findings, the City made the decision that the building was an “immediate danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the occupants.” Using emergency powers granted by the Dangerous Building Ordinance, the City ordered everyone to leave immediately. Regarding the timing and the cold weather, a spokesperson for the City said that the City could not wait for a “better” day. Once the City knows a building is dangerous, not acting puts lives at risk, and that “waiting was not an option.”

To help the families who had to leave their homes, the city teamed up with local community organizations to lend a helping hand during the crisis. The City is grateful for the overwhelming response from some of the areas nonprofit partners—House of Hope, Salvation Army, local churches and the animal shelter—for stepping in to help coordinate shelter, food and care, including care and shelter for pets.