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The Anaheim City Council’s decision to limit how long residents of a motel can stay is likely to have severe consequences for students and the schools they attend, parents and educators say.

Last week, the council voted to impose an occupancy limit of 30 days total within any 90-day period at the Lincoln Inn in West Anaheim. In an effort to cut back on problems at the city’s more crime-plagued motels, code enforcement officials indicated plans to push for such limits as similar inns’ conditional use permits come up for renewal.

But Councilwoman Lucille Kring, who voted against the measure, suggested that decisions were being made without considering the consequences.

“It’s a hardship on the children. Kids need to have a family who cares, friends and stability in their lives,” she said.

School officials in Anaheim say that continual forced moves would further disrupt the already obstacle-laden education of many motel children. Students miss school days during the moves and find it difficult to adjust to new schools that might have different rules and expectations.

“To have them moving around compounds the challenges they already face,” said Sandra Barry, assistant superintendent of the Anaheim City School District.

Anaheim schools already have high rates of students disappearing and appearing at schools throughout the school year. In fact, state education officials use midyear transfer rates as one measure of the educational challenges schools face.

In addition, the continual moving imposes hardship on crowded schools, which must not only find seats for new students but also help them catch up.

Richard Turrentine, assistant superintendent for the Magnolia School District, where most Lincoln Inn children attend school, agreed that the new ban may cause difficulties for the district, teachers and children, but he said he can’t second-guess the council. He said the district will do its best to cope and accommodate children who have moved but don’t want to change schools.

Colleen Garcia, a resident of the motel, said a move this school year has already hurt her 7-year-old son Steven’s education.

“Right now I wouldn’t know where to go,” said Garcia, who also has a 13-year-old. Garcia said it took her days of searching to find a spot at the Lincoln Inn in October. In the process, her children had to change schools and she said her younger one fell behind. “It’s very stressful. It throws the kids off track.”

Buena Park already has a similar limit on motel stays. There, Shannon Borrie and her family know how disruptive a 30-day stay can be for children. The Borries have moved from motel to motel in the past several months. Her children have had to change schools once, but she says she won’t let that happen again because it’s too disruptive. Her 9-year-old son has attention deficit disorder and needs a regimented routine. She says that before they decide on a motel, she checks to make sure her children won’t have to change schools.

Brandy Stone, a volunteer who has worked with several kids at the Lincoln Inn for a year and a half, says that although the motel may not be the best environment for children, it at least provides a stable community. The Orange County Rescue Mission brings food. There’s a community center and a mentor program through the YMCA. But most important, says Stone, is that by staying in one place for a while, the kids can form stable friendships.

“Their world is so unstable anyway,” she said. “The thing they have is each other.”

The Lincoln Inn has long been a trouble spot. In the past several years, rampant crime pervaded the motel grounds, the rooms deteriorated and neighbors complained of drug dealing and gang problems spilling over onto their properties.

But in recent months, city officials and those living there say things have changed. Ben Karmelich, who sold the property in 1996 but took it over again six months ago, invested about $125,000 in the property and evicted more than a third of the tenants. Still, the council imposed the limit last week.

“Properties like the Lincoln were originally approved as motels, and the limit is a reminder that they should be operated as motels,” said Mayor Tom Daly, who was among the majority voting to impose the restriction.