Airbnb Booming in the City Which Has Not Started to Enfore New State Regulations
NYC sees more New Year’s Eve Airbnb rentals thanany other city (NYDN) The company says it has 55,000 bookings projected for New Year's Eve in the five boroughs, up from 47,000 last year. New York City is so popular, it's the No. 1 city for all Airbnb bookings in the entire world to ring in 2017, according to the company. The new record comes at the end of a tough year for Airbnb in New York, following a state law imposing fines for many home rentals. The law levies penalties of up to $7,500 for people who rent their apartments for less than 30 days if they are in a building with three or more units. A court upheld enforcement of the law after Airbnb sued. The company and New York City settled this month, paving the way for the city to start cracking down on Airbnb hosts.* New York: In Airbnb’s biggest market, lawmakers last year said they would impose steep fines for advertising home rentals that violate New York City’s short-term rental rules. Airbnb initially challenged the new rules, but last month withdrew its lawsuit.
Airbnb Uses White Hosts in Black Neighborhoods to Speed Gentification
Airbnb revenue in black neighborhoods mostly goes to whitehosts: study (Real Deal) Startup says it's benefiting minorities in 72 communities, but Inside Airbnb claims few actually reap the rewards According to a new study by an Airbnb watchdog, most of the money earned in predominantly black neighborhoods goes to white hosts who are new to the neighborhood, furthering economic disparity and gentrification. “Black neighborhoods with the most Airbnb use are racially gentrifying, and the (often illegal) economic benefits of Airbnb accrue disproportionately to new, white residents and white speculators,” the author of the study, Murray Cox, wrote. The study, conducted by Inside Airbnb, used facial recognition software to determine hosts’ races based on their Airbnb profile photos in the city’s 72 predominantly black neighborhoods. Whites make up 13.9 percent of the overall population in those neighborhoods, but disproportionately account for 74 percent of the Airbnb host population, according to a draft of the study, which The Real Deal obtained a copy of. When it came to earnings, white hosts in these neighborhoods pocketed a total of $227 million – or 59 percent of the income earned in these neighborhoods – compared to the $160 million black hosts earned during the month of Sept. 2016, the study reported. Based on the population breakdown, that means white hosts disproportionately reaped 530 percent of the economic value that Airbnb brought into predominantly black neighborhoods that month, the study says.
Analysis Finds Airbnb Still Allowing Users Flout One Listing Policy
Anti-Airbnb group's analysis finds NYC site users flouting one listing per host policy (NYDN) Airbnb's new policy limiting New York City hosts to just one listing — a bid to put an end to illegal hotel operators using the site — isn’t stopping Big Apple users from advertising multiple units, according to a new analysis. One New York City host, “Johnny,” had 40 listings and another who went by the handle “STAT” had 36, according to Share Better, an anti-Airbnb coalition that includes politicians and the hotel industry. Share Better found 25 top Airbnb hosts who controlled 385 listings, according to the analysis.
Airbnb: Hotel Big Money Cutting Out Public Ties to de Blasio
Airbnb gets political after Cuomo’s crackdown (NYP) A state Senate race in the Hudson Valley has turned into a costly war between Airbnb and its powerful real-estate and hotel-union opponents. Opponents of the home-sharing Web site are coming to the rescue of a Republican senator who is been bombarded by a $457,000 ad and mail campaign by Airbnb. Sue Serino was one of the 56 senators from both parties who voted for a law that fines hosts as much as $7,500 for advertising illegal short-term rentals in New York City. Only six senators dissented. One of the Airbnb mailings even tied Serino to the Hoosick Falls water contamination crisis. But the surprise attack galvanized powerful left-leaning labor unions that supported the anti-Airbnb legislation to defend Serino and blast her Democratic opponent, Terry Gipson. The Hotel Trades Council and its parent union, Unite Here, have pumped $300,000 into an independent super PAC run by the Real Estate Board of New York called Jobs for New York, sources said. “Airbnb at its core is a community of hosts — and that community in the Hudson Valley is deeply concerned about environmental issues and what their elected officials are doing to ensure that their natural resources are protected.,” said Damien LaVera, spokesman for Airbnb’s Stronger Neighborhoods super PAC.There are other odd political subplots in the race. Strategists on both sides have ties to Mayor de Blasio, who wants to see Democrats take over the state Senate. Berlin Rosen, de Blasio’s chief political consultant, was paid by Airbnb to launch the attacks against Serino. Unite Here, which is defending Serino. was once run by de Blasio’s cousin, John Wilhelm. Airbnb foes celebrate win after Gov. Cuomo signs home-sharing bill, orders company to drop lawsuit blocking legislation (NYDN)
AirbnbTracking Lobbyists Who Supported online Journalism
When is the Media Going to Cover Groups Fighting Gentrification Going After Airbnb?
When is the Media Going to Cover Groups Fighting Gentrification Going After Airbnb?
Airbnb’s illegal hotel purges slammed as ploy to throw off NYC regulators (NYDN) Airbnb’s highly publicized purges of suspected illegal hotel listings are a ploy to placate regulators and have done nothing to alleviate the city’s serious housing crisis, elected officials, housing groups and hundreds of tenants charge in a letter to the company. The letter, sent Friday to Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, raps the company for not sharing the nixed listings with law enforcement and regulators. “One can only conclude that your lack of cooperation . . . is nothing more than a craven attempt by your company to generate sky-high profits at the expense of our precious affordable housing,” the letter from the Share Better coalition of pols and the New York Hotel Trades Council states. Critics charge that the site is a platform for illegal hotel operators, including greedy landlords who use rent-regulated units as hotel rooms rather than residences for New Yorkers, which worsens the city’s affordability crisis. The company, when reached for comment, dismissed Share Better as a “front group for the big hotels.”
Cuomo Signs Airbnb Bill Company Faces Up to $7500 Fine Airbnb Files Lawsuit Against Gov AG
Half of NYC’s Airbnb listings are illegal under new law (NYP)
Airbnb Sues OverNew Law Regulating New York Rentals (NYT)
While the Hotel Industry Push Cuomo to Sign the New Airbnb Law the Company Does the Most Damages In Gentrification Neighbors
Airbnb Attacks Brooklyn Gentrification Neighborhoods Increasing Tenant Push out Taking Affordable House Apts Off the Market
Airbnb blamed for rising housing costs in NYC - USA TODAY
NYP is Still Fighting for Airbnb Egged On By Mime Manhattan Institute
NYP is Still Fighting for Airbnb Egged On By Mime Manhattan Institute
Airbnb ruling proof NYC is unprepared for 21st century business (NYP) Jared Meyer, a Manhattan Institute fellow, writes in the Post that the governor’s signing of an anti-Airbnb bill last week sends the message that New York is closed for business, and argues that Airbnb isn’t the culprit of a decades-long struggle with high rents.
As Airbnb Warehouse Apts Driving Up
Prices Media and Pols Support them
A bill that would make advertising short-term rentals illegal is the latest example of New York officials trying to strangle the “sharing economy” when it should be embraced, since these companies satisfy a demand, the Cato Institute’s Matthew Feeney writes in the Post.* Airbnb and the Battle of Suitcase Alley (NYT) In New York and other cities with steep housing costs, a longstanding objection to home-sharing sites is that some listings remove units from the residential market.
Not Only Does Airbnb Push Blacks Out of Gentrifying Neighborhoods They Won't Even Rent to Them
Black
Airbnb users' photos get them snubbed more by hosts and guests due to racial
profiling, Leticia James says (NYDN) James, in a letter to the
apartment-sharing website, said she was writing because of the “mounting
evidence” that the platform “enables widespread discrimination against hosts
and guests based on their race.”
Airbnb Cover-Up Before They Open Their Books, Will DOI Investigate?
de Blasio Campaign Manager Bill Hyers is A Lobbyist for Airbnb
Airbnb dropped 1,000 possibly illegal listings before opening its books to lawmakers (NYDN) Airbnb did some serious housekeeping before opening its books to the public and lawmakers, according to a new report from a pair of long-time company watchdogs. The apartment-sharing website had a sudden drop of roughly 1,000 listings that looked like illegal hotel rooms around the same time it made its data available in early December, the report co-authored by the founder of the watchdog website Inside Airbnb found. Those deleted listings, the report found, were for entire homes and were being offered by Airbnb users who had at least two sites available — both of which regulators view as red flags. Entire apartment listings typically are illegal under New York ’s strict multiple dwelling law, the only exceptions being for single- and two-family homes. In addition, site users who advertise more than one listing are considered suspicious since most people have only one home in New York City , and could be an indicator of a landlord illegally renting out their apartments to make extra cash.**The founder of a watchdog website called Inside Airbnb said the apartment-sharing website dropped about 1,000 listings that looked like illegal hotel rooms before sharing its data with New York City , the Daily News reports:
Lobbyists for Airbnb Former de Blasio campaign manager Bill Hyers joins Airbnbpayroll (NYDN) Other Lobbyists for Airbnb James F. Capalino and Bolton St. Johns
Black Whose Homes Are Taken By The Gentrification Developers Also Lose To Airbnb Hotels Operators Which Are Less Likely to Rent to Them
Airbnb renters areless likely to rent to people with 'black-sounding' names (NYDN) A new Harvard Business School Baltimore , Dallas , Los Angeles , St. Louis and Washington . Whether the apartment owner was white or black didn’t matter — but the race of the would-be guest did. "The difference persists whether the host is African-American or White, male or female," according to the study. "The difference also persists whether ... the property is cheap or expensive." The researchers set up 6,400 fake profiles and drew the names from babies born in Massachusetts during the 1970s. In a separate study, they had people quickly identify what race the name sounded.*
$5K A Month Hotel Room for the Homeless
City Says Using Apartments Reduces Affordable-Housing Market. Why Not Use Airbnb for the Homeless? Has the City Made A Statement That Airbnb Reduces the Affordable-Housing?
Each homeless person with hotel housing costs the city $5K a month (NYP) The city is so desperate to find space for the homeless that it’s booking more than 1,100 hotel rooms a day as emergency shelter at an average cost of $4,830 a month for each one, officials said Wednesday. While the practice isn’t new, Homeless Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor said at a City Council hearing that the short-term use of hotel rooms has increased from two years ago. “Right now we’re using the rooms at the capacity that we have because we need it in order to accommodate the demand,” he said. Taylor told reporters that hotels with added social services are preferred over units in regular buildings because using cheap apartments reduces the affordable-housing market.* NYC is adding $12 million to the budget to increase job training programs for homeless people in the shelter system who need help navigating the job market. The programs, which will be tied to 31 shelters in all five boroughs, include cooking classes and training for building security.* The city is adding $12 million to the budget to increase job training programs for homeless in the shelter system who need help navigating the job market, which will be tied to 31 shelters in all five boroughs, the Daily News writes: * The head of the New York City Council’s committee overseeing homelessness, Steve Levin, has pressed officials for an accurate count of people living on the streets and an explanation for why so many people think de Blasio has made the problem worse, the Daily News reports:
Will the Council Airbnb Fines Hold?
Bad Timing for Airbnb Will the Shadow Govt Lobbyist Save It? Will the Council Revert to Puppet Form?
Two shot at luxe Airbnb rental party: cops (NYP) Two people were shot early Sunday when gunfire erupted during an out-of-control party in a posh Queens house that was being rented out through Airbnb, cops said.* As Council considers new penalties, Airbnb goes on offensive (PoliticoNY) * Airbnb representatives plan to protest on the steps of New York City Hall ahead of tomorrow’s City Council hearing over a bill that could further penalize New Yorkers who rent out their homes, Politico New York writes:
Will de Blasio Campaign Manager Hires Who is A Lobbyists for Airbnb, Stop the Council Fines?
How Airbnb "Hotelization" Is Killing NYC Middle Class, Gentrification Racial Push Out of Brooklyn Neighborhoods and Raising Rents
The Unsavory Side of Airbnb (American Prospect) How the popular matching company facilitates landlord conversion of entire rental buildings to de facto hotels. In touristy cities with housing shortages and hot real-estate markets—New York , San Francisco , Los Angeles , and many more—Airbnb plays a less savory role. Not only does Airbnb facilitate illegal conversions of entire buildings from tenant apartments to de facto hotels, it has also become part of the landlord lobby that resists enforcement of local laws prohibiting such abuses. To be sure, places like San Francisco would suffer the effects of conversions even without Airbnb, but the evidence shows that Airbnb supercharges the process. * Airbnb fights 'Freddy Krueger of bills' that would hit N.Y. homeowners who rent out their pads with up to $50G in fines (NYDN) * Airbnb is blasting a New York City Council bill that would hit homeowners who use home-sharing sites with fines as high as $50,000, saying it’s a “bad policy” that could bankrupt New Yorkers, the Daily News writes: * Airbnb has come out swinging against a bill that would hit homeowners who rent out their pads on home-sharing sites with fines as high as $50,000, saying it’s “bad policy” that could bankrupt New Yorkers looking to make a quick buck.
In a story similar to San Francisco’s, many of Airbnb’s 25,000 or so “hosts” are not in fact “regular people” looking to rent out a spare room in their home; they are professional operators who took on multiple leases in desirable locations, resulting in what The New York Times called the “professionalization” of short-term rental hosting. “We call it the ‘hotelization’ of San Francisco
The Airbnb Attack On Affordable Housing
How much does Airbnb impact rents in NYC? (Real Deal) Home-sharing giant pushes rents as much as $69 a month higher in Williamsburg/Greenpoint: TRD analysis A sizable minority use them to run de facto hotels, earning substantial income, an analysis by The Real Deal of data scraped from Airbnb’s website found. These business-minded hosts are, in effect, exacerbating the city’s already-acute rental housing shortage, taking hundreds of rental units off the market in some of the city’s hottest neighborhoods and putting upward pressure on rents. In a report on Airbnb’s impact on New York City last year, the New York Attorney General’s Office designated Airbnb listings of whole units and private rooms as “commercial” if they were rented through the service at least half the year, 182 days, or more. By that standard, the citywide total of commercial units on Airbnb stands at around 2,400-4,600 units, roughly 8 to 17 percent of all listings, according to TRD estimates (more on how we got there below). * JCOPE: Education tops lobbying spending for first half of2015
Bodega In Gentrifying Brooklyn Puts Front Window Space on Airbnb for $329 A Night to Pay for Rent Increase
Brooklyn Bodega PutsFront Window Space On Airbnb For $329/Night (Gothamist) A group of Brooklyn activists who recently peddled Artisanal Roach Bombs ($15.99) and Hand-Fried Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches ($13.50) at Jesse's Deli, a corner bodega in Boerum Hill currently facing an alleged 2.5x rent increase, has now posted the 7'x4' space in its front windowon Airbnb—for $329 per night. "Unique property on Atlantic Avenue in gentrifying section of Brooklyn ," reads the listing. "The cozy semi-private 7x4 bedroom with lofty 14 ft ceilings is separated from the deli by a Doritos and Lays chip stand and book shelf.... Chef-style kitchen with professional toaster, meat slicer, and microwave. Also includes coffee maker." According to Jesse's, the proposed rent hike, from $4,000 to $10,000, is still on the table. A store manager who identified himself as Mike told us this morning, "We're fighting it [the rent hike] in court right now, so it's up to the judge. We'll be here for about 5 or 6 more months, at least."
Hotels who give$$ 2pols get protection from Airbnb Voters who get push out of their homes trickle down benefits
"Here in New York , the government is spending millions to try and stop Airbnb from threatening hotel chain"--Marco Rubio, here in New York
More Proof That Airbnb Is Killing Affordable Housing
Airbnb is taking up as much as 20 percent of vacancies in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn , and the 20 most popular Airbnb neighborhoods have lost 10 percent of available housing, according to a study by affordable housing advocates
Airbnb Attacks Brooklyn Gentrification Neighborhoods Increasing Tenant Push out Taking Affordable House Apts Off the Market
Heat map of @AirbnbNYC listings
NYC clamping down on ex-Airbnb slumlord * Public Advocate Letitia James blasts Airbnb for making Brooklyn "least affordable" housing market in nation(NYDN) * City Hall in legal papers: "Sites like Airbnb help tomost acutely diminish the city’s affordable housing stock." *Airbnb’s threat to affordable housing (NYDN) The website is taking thousands of units off the market * Airbnb Driving Up San Francisco Rents, Class Action Says * Neighbors’ complaints to 311 over Airbnb are on the rise(NYP) * Council Slams Airbnbfor Having No Idea How Many Listings Are Illegal (NYO) * Airbnb and Uber's Latest Lobbying Tactic: Donate to Bill De Blasio * Airbnb Really Wants Bill De Blasio To Be Cool With Airbnb ... * Former de Blasio campaign manager Bill Hyers joins Airbnb (NYDN) Lobbyists Airbnb works directly with its own lobbyist, Bolton-St. Johns, and indirectly as "an industry stakeholder" * Lobbyist for Airbnb in NYC is Bulton St Johns . * New York Senator Accuses Airbnb Lobbyist Of Misinformation Campaign * City is waging a war against Airbnb renters: property owners (NYP) * How Airbnb makes cities less safe(NYP) * Airbnb regulations threatening actual bed and breakfasts(NYP) * Airbnb Listings Mostly Illegal, State Contends(NYT) * * Airbnb nets $40M in illegal NY listings: AG (NYP)
More on Gentrification
The Pols Have Created A Gentrification Market Where Scam Predators Target Minorities to Flip Their Homes
Real Estate Shell CompaniesScheme to Defraud Owners Out of Their Homes (NYT) Relying on the secrecy of limited liability companies, white-collar thieves are targeting pockets ofNew York City for fraudulent deed transfers, leaving the victims groping for redress. In Bedford-Stuyvesant and other pockets of the city, white-collar criminals are employing a variety of schemes to snatch properties from their owners. Often, they use the secrecy afforded to shell companies to rent out vacated properties until they are caught or sell them to third parties. Victims are left groping for redress, unable to identify their predators or even, in some cases, to prove a crime has been committed. Attention lately has focused on the growing use of shell companies to buy prized real estate in Manhattan and other glittering destinations for global wealth. But the stealthy practice of deed theft illustrates another way that limited liability company law used to create such entities has been twisted and stretched to conceal the ownership of real estate. This is particularly true in Brooklyn neighborhoods where profits in the hundreds of thousands of dollars from quick turnaround sales have become common.In other cases, signatures are simply forged on deeds. The thieves, meanwhile, hide behind inscrutable mazes of limited liability companies, rented post office boxes and fake addresses. Coming amid waves of gentrification, the reports of deed theft have helped feed the unease felt in neighborhoods where longtime residents — blacks and Hispanics, the poor and middle class — are increasingly being priced out.* Real estate shell companies are defrauding New York City residents out of their homes, and a growing number of fraudulent deed transfers are often difficult to crack due to the secrecy of limited liability companies, The NewYork Times reports:
The Pols Have Created A Gentrification Market Where Scam Predators Target Minorities to Flip Their Homes
Real Estate Shell CompaniesScheme to Defraud Owners Out of Their Homes (NYT) Relying on the secrecy of limited liability companies, white-collar thieves are targeting pockets of
Airbnb TV Commercial Help Fat Cats
An anti-Airbnb group is rolling out a new TV commercial that accuses the apartment-rental site of lining the pockets of greedy fat cats who use it to destroy affordable housing.
Increasing Fines for Airbnb
Manhattan City Council members Helen Rosenthal and Ydanis Rodriguez will proposetough new penalties today aimed at property owners who violate the city’s ban on short-term rentals by listing their units on home-sharing sites like Airbnb. Bill that increases fines tenfold for violations of a ban on short-term rentals, such as Airbnb
Why the Hotels and Hotel Union Will Be Going Against Airbnb
Why the Hotels and Hotel Union Will Be Going Against Airbnb
--“A glut of NYC hotels is making some hospitalityexperts throw around the ‘b’ word," “A city that was short on hotel supply just a few years ago could now be looking at a bubble, based on pumped-up speculation and forces outside of the hospitality industry. In the last seven years—due in part to an explosion in demand thanks to a weak dollar and a diversified hotel market—the number of bed nights (industry speak for nights spent in a room) increased by almost 8 million, from a total of 33 million in 2009 to 40.6 million in 2014, according to data collected by hotel bench-market STR. Supply is going to reach its peak this year, according to a May report by STR, and will continue to increase slightly in 2016 before leveling out. During that same time, the report found, demand for those rooms is slated to dwindle.”
Most of the Media Ignored Rosenthal Sting of Airbnb . . .
Media Looking for Ad Money? Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal Secretly Tapes Illegal Airbrb Renters
As Hotel Market Falls Pressure On Pols to Go After Airbnb and Illegal Hotels
Hotel Market Staggers in New York City (NYT) After years of growth, the city underperformed almost every other top market in January, but analysts are wary of declaring the start of a troubling trend.* For years,
Judge Rules Airbnb Limits Supply of Rent Stabilized Apts and Drives Up the Rent
Airbnb plainly needs to change some of its practices, but the rent stabilization laws that limit supply and drive up prices also have to change, the Post writes: * A Manhattan Housing Court judge ruled that rent-stabilized tenants cannot benefit profit from their situation by renting their homes to tourists at higher prices on websites like Airbnb, the Post reports: * #Airbnb makes millions by putting NYers at risk of eviction. Apparently"sharing" is not caring. (NYP) * Landlords planning more evictions after Airbnb ruling(NYP) The Manhattan attorney who won a watershed case evicting a tenant who cashed in on his rent-stabilized pad by treating it like a hotel has received a flood of queries from landlords who want to boot other profiteers.* Judge: Residents of Rent-Stabilized Homes Can't Put Place Up for Rent on Websites Like Airbnb(NY1)* @Airbnb foes, Related delight in first site-related eviction via* City council backs tenants, plans new law to sue landlords for using Airbnb(NYP)
Two City Council members want to arm tenants with a new law that would let them sue their landlords for using Airbnb to rent out neighboring apartments as illegal hotel * City council backs tenants, plans new law to sue landlords for using Airbnb Two City Council members want to arm tenants with a new law that would let them sue their landlords for using Airbnb to rent out neighboring apartments as illegal hotel...* According to a @capitalnewyork analysis, 58% of @Airbnb's #NYC listings are possibly illegal (Capital) * New York CityCouncilwoman Helen Rosenthal writes in the Daily News that Airbnb should show data supporting its claims that three studies are inaccurate in suggesting most of its listings are illegal hotels
Airbnb Spin Cancer and Welfare
Airbnb tries guilt tripping politicians to change rental laws (NYP) Airbnb is trying a new tactic to win over lawmakers — trotting out sympathetic people who rent their apartments to make ends meet. The hosts — including a Queens man with cancer and a struggling artist — told lawmakers Tuesday that the extra income keeps them off the welfare rolls. Million-dollar condo owner allegedly running illegal bed-and-breakfaast (NYP) The board of Peregrine Tower, at 303 E. 49th St., claims Charles Salcetti is running an illegal bed-and-breakfast out of his $1.35 million apartment. The Manhattan Supreme Court suit says Salcetti, a Maryland-based commercial-real-estate executive, claimed the apartment would be for his personal, residential use when he purchased it last year. But over the past six months, the unit has hosted 35 different guests who belong to an elite timeshare company called Lifestyle Asset Group, according to court papers.
Campaign Consultant Lobbyists Marathon Strategies Worked for Schneiderman and Now Works for Airbnb Who the AG is Investigating Airbnb
The Airbnb war: Big money, no victor (CrainsNY) Airbnb has also hired Marathon Strategies, Hilltop Public Solutions and Risa Heller Communications. Media trackers estimate it spent $15 million on TV ads in the last half of 2014 and millions more on billboards and subway ads. Airbnb can afford it: Its latest fundraising round put its valuation above $20 billion.
Airbnb Attacks Brooklyn Gentrification Neighborhoods Increasing Tenant Push out
Heat map of @AirbnbNYC listings
As Hotel Market Staggers Pols Move On Airbnb and Illegal Hotels
.Hotel Market Staggers in New York City (NYT) After years of growth, the city underperformed almost every other top market in January, but analysts are wary of declaring the start of a troubling trend.
de Blasio Puts Ratner Executive On Rent Guidelines Board
Forest City Ratner executive Walsh appointed as owner representative on Rent Guidelines Board (all AY rentals rent-stabilized) (AYR) Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed a Forest City Ratner executive as one of the two designed owner representatives on the Rent Guidelines Board, which sets the annual increase (or not) under the Rent Stabilization Law. (Last year's contentious vote was for a 1% increase.) Scott Walsh, a Vice President of Development who has an undergraduate degree in architecture and a master's in real estate, has actually been with Forest City
.
The NYT and Mayor Ignored the Damage Done in Gentrify Neighborhoods Done By Airbnb 
Fact and Reality: Stop the Gentrification Push Out In Crown Heights Before Promising to Do it City-Wide Hundreds of Black Residence Are Being Push Out of Crown Heights and the City Has Nothing to Stop It. Why doesn't the NYT demand the mayor stop the push out in Crown Heights to demonstrate that it is possible to stop gentrification push out with his increased development that he promised in his Stat of the City speech.* East New York residents are calling for more details about the mayor’s affordable development plans for the neighborhood, and they have demands of their own, City Limits reports
.
.
Airbnb Warehousing Apts Causes Higher Rents and Gentrification Displacement
Public Advocate Letitia James blasts Airbnb for making Brooklyn "least affordable" housing market in nation(NYDN) The median rent in Brooklyn was $2,858 in October, 2013, up almost 6% over the previous year, according to a report by report, by RealtyTrac. “Now, affordable housing in Brooklyn faces a new challenge: Airbnb,” James wrote in a letter to Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky and obtained by the Daily News. Airbnb has nearly 8,000 apartment listings in Brooklyn, according to James, with 2,000 listings in Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Greenpoint and Fort Greene
Judge Rules Airbnb Limits Supply of Rent Stabilized Apts and Drives Up the Rent
Judge Rules Airbnb Limits Supply of Rent Stabilized Apts and Drives Up the Rent
Airbnb plainly needs to change some of its practices, but the rent stabilization laws that limit supply and drive up prices also have to change, the Post writes: * A Manhattan Housing Court judge ruled that rent-stabilized tenants cannot benefit profit from their situation by renting their homes to tourists at higher prices on websites like Airbnb, the Post reports: * #Airbnb makes millions by putting NYers at risk of eviction. Apparently"sharing" is not caring. (NYP) * Landlords planning more evictions after Airbnb ruling(NYP) The Manhattan attorney who won a watershed case evicting a tenant who cashed in on his rent-stabilized pad by treating it like a hotel has received a flood of queries from landlords who want to boot other profiteers.* Judge: Residents of Rent-Stabilized Homes Can't Put Place Up for Rent on Websites Like Airbnb(NY1)* @Airbnb foes, Related delight in first site-related eviction via* City council backs tenants, plans new law to sue landlords for using Airbnb(NYP)
Two City Council members want to arm tenants with a new law that would let them sue their landlords for using Airbnb to rent out neighboring apartments as illegal hotel * City council backs tenants, plans new law to sue landlords for using Airbnb Two City Council members want to arm tenants with a new law that would let them sue their landlords for using Airbnb to rent out neighboring apartments as illegal hotel...* According to a @capitalnewyork analysis, 58% of @Airbnb's #NYC listings are possibly illegal (Capital) * New York CityCouncilwoman Helen Rosenthal writes in the Daily News that Airbnb should show data supporting its claims that three studies are inaccurate in suggesting most of its listings are illegal hotels
Why is San Francisco Have A Lawsuit Against Airbnb, But Not NY?
Airbnb Driving Up San Francisco Rents, Class Action Says Airbnb Inc. was hit in California court Wednesday with a proposed class action representing thousands of renters in San Francisco , claiming the room-finder website is driving up rents and making it tough for property owners to compete in the city's fierce rental market. The lawsuit, filed by two long-term tenants of a San Francisco residential hotel, accuses Airbnb of flouting city laws that forbid the rental of residential units for “tourist or transient use.” Airbnb's site even mentions those laws but continues to offer rentals in San Francisco , according to Louis Gamache and Danielle McGee's complaint.Both plaintiffs live in San Francisco 's Sheldon Hotel, a long-term residential hotel where Airbnb also rents units to tourists. That activity affects at least 300 residents in the Sheldon alone, the complaint said. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and an injunction barring Airbnb from renting San Francisco apartments illegally. The complaint accuses Airbnb of violating California 's unfair competition law by illegally converting residential units for tourist use, which allegedly makes it more difficult for other property owners to compete. It also accuses the site of violating San Francisco 's residential hotel conversion and demolition ordinance and its residential unit conversion and demolition ordinance.“We believe this is the first lawsuit ever on this important issue,” plaintiffs' attorney Tyson Redenbarger of Hooshmand Law Group told Law360. “Airbnb is facilitating the short-term rental of rent-controlled units, thereby preventing the rental of those units to long-term tenants. This lawsuit will hopefully correct this issue and make available more units for long-term rental.”
More On How Airbnb Hurts NYC's Middle Class and Poor
James, Stringer and Council Blast Airbnb Before City Council Hearing
Wednesday Update Neighbors’ complaints to 311 over Airbnb are on the rise(NYP) * A New York City Council hearing pitted affordable housing advocates against proponents of sites like Airbnb, with lawmakers bashing short-term rentals they say hurt low-income residents, The New York Timesreports: *City Council blastsAirbnb executives in contentious hearing (NYDN) Council members accused the company of helping landlords transform affordable housing units into illegal hotels. But Airbnb executive David Hantman said the company doesn’t support illegal hotels and tries to remove abusers from the site. The eight-hour hearing was Tuesday before a packed audience.* Council Slams Airbnbfor Having No Idea How Many Listings Are Illegal | New York Observer * NYC Council members ripped into Airbnb.com executives at a contentious hearing, accusing the company of helping landlords transform affordable housing units into illegal hotels.* Complaints about short-term apartment-rental services such as Airbnb soared in the past year — but there were only 12 inspectors to act on them, a city official said.* Public Advocate Letitia James blasts Airbnb for making Brooklyn "least affordable" housing market in nation(NYDN)* Council Slams Airbnbfor Having No Idea How Many Listings Are Illegal (NYO)* Airbnb’s affordable housing(NYP Ed)
Airbnb Buys News Organization and Starts It Media Blitz to Brainwash New Yorkers That They Are Not Wearhousing Apartments
Airbnb Contributes Max to de Blasio, Other Pols and Online News Blogs
Why Pols Don't Speak Out on Airbnb . . . It all About the Benjamins
Airbnb and Uber's Latest Lobbying Tactic: Donate to Bill De Blasio * Airbnb Really Wants Bill De Blasio To Be Cool With Airbnb ... * Former de Blasio campaign manager Bill Hyers joins Airbnb (NYDN)
Airbnb and Uber's Latest Lobbying Tactic: Donate to Bill De Blasio * Airbnb Really Wants Bill De Blasio To Be Cool With Airbnb ... * Former de Blasio campaign manager Bill Hyers joins Airbnb (NYDN)
Lobbyists Bolton St Johns
Airbnb works directly with its own lobbyist, Bolton-St. Johns, and indirectly as "an industry stakeholder" * Lobbyist for Airbnb in NYC is Bulton St Johns
Airbnb Ads Help Support the New Online News Blogs Capital, City and State and Local TV
The Capital News and City and State Blogs mix an advertising spin message from Airbnb at the same time when the day after the AG forced the company to release info to expose apartment bundlers who turned NYC apartments into hotels. Everytime bad news about Airbnb is printed these publication and the local TV stations get more ads.*according to New York state senator Liz Krueger, one of Airbnb's lobbying arms has started a misinformation campaign about the law to put more pressure on elected officials. Krueger is referring to Peers, a non-profit industry mouthpiece that presents itself as a grassroots organization for folks who just wanna make a little money on the side—and what kind of monster would object to that? Except that Peers was cofounded by Airbnb's "head of community" and has investment from the Omidyar Network, the foundation of eBay billionaire Pierre Omidyar—connections that are glossed over in order to make campaigns look more authentic, and less like a pre-IPO necessity. * New York Senator Accuses Airbnb Lobbyist Of Misinformation Campaign
Airbnb Offers the City Some Sugar
Days before the New York City Council’s scheduled hearing on short-term rentals, Airbnb says it could send $65 million to city and state coffers in 2015 if the law was changed to allow it to collect and remit certain taxes, the Daily News reports:
City Goes After Airbnb Renters
City is waging a war against Airbnb renters: property owners (NYP) New Yorkers renting out apartments on Airbnb are being raided by a little-known city task force that videotapes tenants, property owners say. The squad includes NYPD, FDNY and Buildings Department inspectors who travel in groups of three to five and search for illegal hotels after receiving 311 complaints. They put their foot in the door and say, ‘Are you not granting entry to a police officer?’ ” said one resident, who has paid thousands in fines. “They intimidate people into giving answers they want to hear. They were demanding to get into the apartment.”
Anti-Tenant Bill DOA Unless Hotel Unions Step In and Control Their Puppets
Hotel owners would be barred from turning their buildings into luxury condos under a bill being introduced in the New York City Council, the Daily News reports: * Documents obtainedby The Buffalo News provide new details on how the state went about picking the developers for Buffalo ’s most lucrative development project in decades, as well as a prominent downtown redevelopment project:
Elderly woman takes on Airbnb and landlords for illegalbookings
PA James Says Airbnb is Making Brooklyn More Unaffordable
More on Affordable Housing
Airbnb Making Billions, Spending Million On Flack Yes Men Think They Are the Pope
Warehousing NYC Apartments Driving Up Rents and Increasing Gentrification Pushing the Poor and Middle Class Out
A padded room (NYDN Ed) Airbnb execs need to check in
Airbnb Rents Do Not Make Good Neighbors
NYT Turns Over Its Editorial Page to Airbnb Flack and He Tell Us How Wonderful His Company Is
Airbnb Flack Defends the Company
Airbnb: The real story (NYPEd)
How Airbnb makes cities less safe(NYP)
Airbnb
Share Better, an anti-Airbnb coalition in New York City comprised of elected officials, affordable housing advocates and community organizations, announced Thursday it is expanding to San Francisco, Mashable reports:
Airbnb Killing Bed and Breakfasts Business
Airbnb regulations threatening actual bed and breakfasts(NYP) Strict laws enacted to prevent abuses by users of Airbnb are putting the city’s legitimate bed-and-breakfasts out of business. That’s because the regulations, meant to keep apartments from turning into illegal hotels — or, in a few notorious cases, brothels — are being applied to B&Bs that have been operating here for years, according to Crain’s New York Business.* B&B be gone (CrainsNY) A law cracking down on illegal hotels in the city, and the rise of Airbnb, have put real bed-and-breakfasts out of business.
75% of Airbnb Rental In NYC Illegal
Tenant Eviction Protests In SF Against Airbnb Why Not NYC?
Airbnb Listings Mostly Illegal, State Contends(NYT)
A report by Eric T. Schneiderman, the New York attorney general, found nearly three-quarters of all Airbnb rentals in New York City
The average price of a Big Apple hotel room last year was about $300 a night, according to city data.*De Blasio administration files first lawsuit againstapartments operating as illegal hotels through Airbnb (NYDN) EXCLUSIVE: The city has been granted a preliminary injunction against the owners of two residential buildings in Manhattan , where investigators claim units were rented out by the night on apartment-sharing websites like Airbnb.com. Airbnbis making millions off illegal listings, AG says(AMNY) * City Hall in legal papers: "Sites like Airbnb help tomost acutely diminish the city’s affordable housing stock."Protestors in San Francisco stage a demonstration outside of an apartment building that allegedly evicted all of the tenants to convert the units to AirBnb rentals on July 29, 2014 in San Francisco , California North Beach
A City and State Op-Ed is Really A Paid Ad
| Airbnb Housing Market |
How Come No NYc Class Action Against Airbnb Lawsuits for Driving Up the Rents Here? . . . NY Pols Dance in Front of the Cameras, Why No Class Action Lawsuit Like SF?
Union Protection Yes
Tenant Protection No
It takes the Hotel Workers Union for NY Pols and AG to Fight Airbnb. Nobody is fighting for the residence of Crown Heights and Bed Stuy who are getting push out of their homes by gentrification in part fueled by landlords warehousing apartments for Airbnb? Why is their no Class Action Lawsuit Against Airbnb Which is Driving Up Rents In NYC pushing long time residence out of their homes? Airbnb with 19,500 New York City listings enabling landlords to kick tenants out of affordable housing, warehouse their apartments and then rent them as illegal hotel rooms.De Blasio has allies in the hotel workers' union, which opposes AirBnB, but all three of AirBnB's co-founders—Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczy—also donated the maximum $4,950 amount to his mayoral campaign.
The press conference marked the beginning of an organized counteroffensive against AirBnB, which has spent months advertising on New York City subways and televisions (and with media outlets, including this one) touting the role it plays in helping struggling apartment-dwellers make ends meet. It estimates that AirBnB has spent roughly $25 million, including more than $500,000 on lobbyists.AirBnB is also a sponsor of the New York City Marathon.Certainly, the sheer number of elected officials who took part in Friday morning’s protest and were listed as allies in the release—15 councilmembers, 14 state legislative leaders, Public Advocate Tish James, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Rep. Jerry Nadler—is a testament, in part, to the sway of the Hotel Trades Council. Neal Kwatra, the founder of Metropolitan Public Strategies, is spearheading the anti-AirBnB effort. His last public-sector job was as Schneiderman’s chief of staff. Before that, he was the hotel union’s chief political strategist.* Airbnb Faces New Threat in New York From Housing Coalition (WSJ)
Airbnb Driving Up San Francisco Rents, Class Action Says Airbnb Inc. was hit in California court Wednesday with a proposed class action representing thousands of renters in San Francisco , claiming the room-finder website is driving up rents and making it tough for property owners to compete in the city's fierce rental market. The lawsuit, filed by two long-term tenants of a San Francisco residential hotel, accuses Airbnb of flouting city laws that forbid the rental of residential units for “tourist or transient use.” Airbnb's site even mentions those laws but continues to offer rentals in San Francisco , according to Louis Gamache and Danielle McGee's complaint.Both plaintiffs live in San Francisco 's Sheldon Hotel, a long-term residential hotel where Airbnb also rents units to tourists. That activity affects at least 300 residents in the Sheldon alone, the complaint said. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and an injunction barring Airbnb from renting San Francisco apartments illegally. The complaint accuses Airbnb of violating California 's unfair competition law by illegally converting residential units for tourist use, which allegedly makes it more difficult for other property owners to compete. It also accuses the site of violating San Francisco 's residential hotel conversion and demolition ordinance and its residential unit conversion and demolition ordinance.“We believe this is the first lawsuit ever on this important issue,” plaintiffs' attorney Tyson Redenbarger of Hooshmand Law Group told Law360. “Airbnb is facilitating the short-term rental of rent-controlled units, thereby preventing the rental of those units to long-term tenants. This lawsuit will hopefully correct this issue and make available more units for long-term rental.”
Don't Let Rich People Own Apartments They Don't Live In(Gawker)* No vacancies in NYC for the likes of Airbnb: politicians say(NYP)* The killer flaws of de Blasio’s housing plan
Tracking Lobbyists Who Supported online Journalism
* Nine New York City Council members called on the Clinton Global Initiative to end its partnership with the controversial room-sharing startup Airbnb to provide housing to AmeriCorps volunteers, Crain’s reports: http://goo.gl/S1CB6b
True News Has Been Reporting For Months That Airbnb is Warehousing Apartments Causing Rent to Go Up
Airbnb’s threat to affordable housing (NYDN) The website is taking thousands of units off the market
Judge Rules Against NYS Housing Law to Protect Airbnb
Judge nixes illegal AIrbnb subletter’s eviction(NYP) A court ruling this week could open the floodgates for Big Apple apartment dwellers to sublet via the controversial home-share Web site Airbnb. The potentially precedent-setting ruling by a Manhattan Housing Court judge nixed the eviction of a Financial District resident who had been subletting her apartment through the San Francisco-based accommodations site — even though she admitted to breaking New York City law. * In a potentially precedent-setting ruling, a Manhattan judge overturned the eviction of a resident who sublet her apartment through Airbnb and said the Multiple Dwelling Law is aimed at landlords, not tenants, the Post writes: * The Post writes that when New York City landlords are forced by politicians to rent below the market rate, they will stop repairs and not expand supply, driving up rental prices in the non-regulated sector:
SEX, LIES AND AIRBNB: The debate about Airbnb is quickly devolving into a whore-a-phobia worthy of Hawthorne, writes C&S columnist Alexis Grenell, who argues that its foes are motivated by self-preservation: http://goo.gl/xXi8OU
Judge Kills AG Subpoena of Airbnb
A state Supreme Court has ruled in Airbnb’s favor, quashing a subpoena from Schneiderman’s office requesting personal information and data about the website’s users.* Airbnb doesn’t have to give out ‘host’ records: judge(NYP)
Senator Liz Krueger
Court decision gives Airbnb a little time, looks like that's it. AG prevailed on every point save one techical issue w/ breadth of subpoena.New York Judge Quashes Airbnb Subpoena(WSJ)
Helen Rosenthal
Losing 13,000 units of #affordablehousing to #Airbnbbad4NYC @AGSchneiderman Not good for #UWS @efrost1 @westsiderag
Might de Blasio's DNC bid really be about spurring hotel development and expansion of AirBnB in Brooklyn? * Big-time developers involved in DNC push- --and AirBnB hired BdB's campaign manager @unitedNYblogs @AYReport
Ted Hamm
Airbnb Contributes Max to de Blasio and Other Pols
Why Pols Don't Speak Out on Airbnb It all About the Benjamins . . .
Bill de BlasioAirbnb and Uber's Latest Lobbying Tactic: Donate to Bill De Blasio * Airbnb Really Wants Bill De Blasio To Be Cool With Airbnb ...
Lobbyist for Airbnb in NYC is Bulton St Johns
Airbnb Ads Help Support the New Online News Blogs Capital, City and State and Local TV
The Capital News and City and State Blogs mix an advertising spin message from Airbnb at the same time when the day after the AG forced the company to release info to expose apartment bundlers who turned NYC apartments into hotels. Everytime bad news about Airbnb is printed these publication and the local TV stations get more ads.
Capital* A message from AIRBNB: DID YOU KNOW THAT BROOKLYN IS NOW A MAJOR TOURIST DESTINATION? Airbnb hosts welcomed 118,400 visitors to Brooklyn last year, generating $89 million in new economic activity for Brooklyn businesses and families. Airbnb guests are helping Brooklyn families afford their rent and supporting small businesses that help Brooklyn thrive* Airbnb Forced To Hand Over Anonymous User Records *The Morning Risk Report wonders if Airbnb hosts will balk at the NY attorney general combing through their records
City and State Airbnb Ads Did you know that Airbnb will generate $768 million in economic activity in New York City this year? Each day, more and more New Yorkers are opening their doors to visitors from around the world. Their guests are supporting your favorite local businesses, like pizza parlors, bagel shops, and coffee stands. Come learn more about how Airbnb is helping your neighborhood:
************
NYT Poor Door Excuses and Protection for Pols
Affordable Housing Has Become A Band-aid On A Cancer for Elected Officials to Protect Them From What They Are Doing to Our City With Their Tax Breaks to Developers
Poor Door’ in a New York Tower Opens a Fight Over Affordable Housing(NYT)
As public housing becomes a relic, American cities have grown morereliant on developers, who say they can maximize their revenues and build more affordable units, by separating them from their luxury counterparts.Real Estate Developers, Tax Breakes and Politics
Affordable Housing Has Become A Band-aid On A Cancer for Elected Officials to Protect Them From What They Are Doing to Our City With Their Tax Breaks to Developers
As public housing becomes a relic, American cities have grown morereliant on developers, who say they can maximize their revenues and build more affordable units, by separating them from their luxury counterparts.Real Estate Developers, Tax Breakes and Politics
.
Homeless #'s Up 6% Under DeBlasio 52% Over Last 5 Years
The Daily News Leaves Out the Most Reasons for the Increase In Homelessness and the Pushing Out of the Middle Class Out of the City, Tax Breaks to Luxury Developers and Airbnb
How Blacks the Poor and the Middle Class are Being Push Out of Brooklyn Because of Albany's Tax Breaks for Luxury Developers
Airbnb Buys News Organization and Starts It Media Blitz to Brainwash New Yorkers That They Are Not Wearhousing Apartments
Only the Hotel Industry Can Push Back, the Public Which is Being Gentrified Out of Their Communities Does Not Have A Voice With Elected Officials or the Media
More About Airbnb
Airbnb Which Advertises in Capital Gets A Puff Piece Today In Capital
AIRBNB TO BE A SPONSOR OF NYC MARATHON—Capital’s Dana Rubinstein: The event, the largest marathon in the world, draws 50,000 runners, many of them from out of town and with families in tow. A few years ago, an economic impact study conducted by the club found the event generated $65 million in revenue for the hospitality industry. "They're going to be our official community hospitality partner for the marathon and New York Road Runners," said Chris Weiller, the club's spokesman, in response to an inquiry from Capital. “They'll be working with us year-round. They're committed to giving access to New York City's neighborhoods throughout the boroughs." New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating the company to see whether some of its users are violating state law.
AirBnB will sponsor the next New York City marathon.
Judge Rules Against NYS Housing Law to Protect Airbnb
Judge nixes illegal AIrbnb subletter’s eviction(NYP) A court ruling this week could open the floodgates for Big Apple apartment dwellers to sublet via the controversial home-share Web site Airbnb. The potentially precedent-setting ruling by a Manhattan Housing Court judge nixed the eviction of a Financial District resident who had been subletting her apartment through the San Francisco-based accommodations site — even though she admitted to breaking New York City law. * In a potentially precedent-setting ruling, a Manhattan judge overturned the eviction of a resident who sublet her apartment through Airbnb and said the Multiple Dwelling Law is aimed at landlords, not tenants, the Post writes: * The Post writes that when New York City landlords are forced by politicians to rent below the market rate, they will stop repairs and not expand supply, driving up rental prices in the non-regulated sector:
SEX, LIES AND AIRBNB: The debate about Airbnb is quickly devolving into a whore-a-phobia worthy of Hawthorne, writes C&S columnist Alexis Grenell, who argues that its foes are motivated by self-preservation: http://goo.gl/xXi8OU
Judge Kills AG Subpoena of Airbnb
Court decision gives Airbnb a
little time, looks like that's it. AG prevailed on every point save one
techical issue w/ breadth of subpoena.New York Judge Quashes Airbnb Subpoena(WSJ)
Efforts
to Make Part of Airbnb Business Legal On the Same Day the Mayor
Declares A Housing Shortage That is Pushing Out the Poor and Middle
ClassA group of affordable housing advocates, labor unions and tenant associations is opposing a pair of bills in the state Legislature that would loosen restrictions on New Yorkers who use Airbnb.com to rent out their apartments, the Daily News reports
Airbnb Will Hand Over Host Data to New York http://nyti.ms/1pevE8e
* Short-term rental site Airbnb has agreed to turn over some information about its website’s users to state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a compromise intended to protect users’ identities, Capital New York reports: http://goo.gl/2U06hI
Airbnb gives in to the NY attorney general. So much for its tough rhetoric.(WSJ)
Whoa! Airbnb has a new last-minute booking service: http://slate.me/1k2Y6t7
Questions for
Airbnb and Thier Lobbyists
NYT/NYP Flacks for Airbnb Because Everyone Who Works Their Can Afford NY's High Rents
Airbnb Host Welcomes Travelers From All Over(NYT) A Queens resident with a spare bedroom has rented it out over the past 10 months to scores of guests, taking in almost $18,000. * How Airbnb saved my home (NYP) A lifelong New Yorker and resident of Fort Greene for 15 years, I care deeply about our city. About three years ago, I became an Airbnb host, renting our garden apartment for short-term stays. It has allowed us to keep our own housing “affordable,” and helped us share the magic of our neighborhood with guests who might never leave Manhattan (or never make it to the city) if their only choice was a hotel.
Today's NYT Recognizes A Supply Problem
Did True News Wag the NYT Again
The Dark Side of the Sharing Economy(NYT Ed)Websites like Airbnb that offer short-term rentals are making housing less affordable in big cities by restricting supply.
Tenants Push to the Street and Out of Town
Out of Sight
Out of Mind
Very excited RT@capitalnewyork : EXCLUSIVE: @IDC4NY spokesman @EricSoufer joins @RisaBHeller, @JimmyVielkind reptsIDC spokesman Soufer joins Risa Heller(Capital) Soufer, 29, will join Risa Heller Communications, which draws its name
from the former spokeswoman for Chuck Schumer and David Paterson. He
starts next week, and will assist the firm's work on behalf of Airbnb
and the New York City F.C., a budding Major League Soccer franchise in
the five boroughs.Affordable Housing Vanishing NYC affordable housing is vanishing as rents skyrocket, incomes decline: report (NYDN)
* Stuck by Rising Rent As rents rise, some stuck in affordable homes with moving too costly(NYP) * City’s rising rents are top in US as income lags(NYP) * New York City Housing Push Should Aim at Poorest, Report Says(NYT) * In light of a study commissioned by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office, which shows that the city’s median rent rose 75 percent from 2000 to 2012, Stringer is calling on de Blasio to prioritize affordable housing for low-income residents, the New York Observer writes: * Landlord accused of trashing apartments to boot tenants hit with subpoena(NYDN) * De Blasio gets push to add cheaper apartments(NYDN) *
More About Airbnb
Very excited RT
Risa Heller
* Stuck by Rising Rent As rents rise, some stuck in affordable homes with moving too costly(NYP) * City’s rising rents are top in US as income lags(NYP) * New York City Housing Push Should Aim at Poorest, Report Says(NYT) * In light of a study commissioned by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office, which shows that the city’s median rent rose 75 percent from 2000 to 2012, Stringer is calling on de Blasio to prioritize affordable housing for low-income residents, the New York Observer writes: * Landlord accused of trashing apartments to boot tenants hit with subpoena(NYDN) * De Blasio gets push to add cheaper apartments(NYDN) *
More About Airbnb
New York Senator Accuses Airbnb Lobbyist Of Misinformation Campaign (http://valleywag.gawker.com)
Like Uber, Airbnb benefits from a story line about hotel and landlord lobbyists, particularly in New York City, which the company has made a testing ground for regulatory battles. Nevermind that the $2.5 billion startup works directly with its own lobbyist, Bolton-St. Johns, and indirectly as "an industry stakeholder"
the trade group Short Term Rental and Hospitality Association, which
has hired the lobbyists Cordo & Co.—all to fight against New York's illegal hotel law. Then there's Airbnb's artisanal ass-kiss for mayor-elect Bill DeBlasio: according to New York state senator Liz Krueger, one of Airbnb's lobbying arms has started a misinformation campaign about the law to put more pressure on elected officials. Krueger is referring to Peers, a non-profit industry mouthpiece that presents itself as a grassroots organization
for folks who just wanna make a little money on the side—and what kind
of monster would object to that? Except that Peers was cofounded by
Airbnb's "head of community" and has investment from the Omidyar
Network, the foundation of eBay billionaire Pierre Omidyar—connections
that are glossed over in order to make campaigns look more authentic,
and less like a pre-IPO necessity. In
a series of tweets, Krueger politely trolled Peers for not actually
understanding the illegal hotel law. Peers brought a number of its
members to Krueger's office, but according to this Storify
from Andrew Goldston, Krueger's press guy, "many of them said their
Airbnb hosting activity consisted of renting out spare bedrooms — which
is not a violation of the illegal hotel law!"
* Schneiderman has found a new ally in his fight to crack down on Airbnb: the Working Families Party is accusing the apartment-sharing website of contributing to New York City’s growing affordable housing crisis, the Daily News reports:
Airbnb Campaign Contribution and Lobbyists Trumps Tenant Protection
Team Airbnb Tries to Stay One Step Ahead of the Law . . . Cuts Out the Warehousing
Ahead Of NY Subpoena Hearing, Airbnb Weeds Out Hosts With Dozens Of Listings(Tech Crunch) In preparation for oral arguments being held in its New York subpoena case tomorrow, Airbnb is eliminating dozens of listings on its site from hosts who have been accused of being bad actors and running illegal hotel operations on the platform.* Airbnb weeding out city’s multiple apartment listers(NYP) “Every host on this list that rents apartments has been notified that they and their listings will be permanently removed from Airbnb,” the subletting service said on its Web site.* Airbnb wipes 2000 NY listings before court hearing(CNET Airbnb's counsel is arguing AG's office is seeking broad info from site to calculate how to interpret tax law to yield maximum tax revenues
Taking On the Internet Wild West (Airbnb)
Eric Schneiderman
True News
Airbnb's Renters' Warehousing WilliamsBurg Generates Gentrification Crown Heights
Airbnb Contributes Max to de Blasio and Other Pols
Why Pols Don't Speak Out on Airbnb It all About the Benjamins . . .
The three men founded the popular apartment sharing website Airbnb, which is currently locked in a standoff with New York State regulators. So it is perhaps not surprising that in recent days each of the three gave the maximum possible donation to Bill de Blasio, the Democratic nominee for mayor, who, if he wins, could play a significant role in the negotiations. * De Blasio raises concerns about Airbnb(Capital)
Iillegal New York City hotel rentals
it is not surprising that the founding team of Airbnb – which is based
in San Francisco and comprised of Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky and
Joe Gebbia – all made last minute max-out contributions to de Blasio’s
campaign.(NY World) * Airbnb and Uber's Latest Lobbying Tactic: Donate to Bill De Blasio * Airbnb Really Wants Bill De Blasio To Be Cool With Airbnb ... * NY Legislator Explains What a Legal Rental Is to Airbnb ... NY Times covers Airbnb's Huge Valuation not what it is doing to tenants * Airbnb bids to pay taxes, faces opposition(NYDN)Meet the bartender who became an Airbnb titan — until the attorney general called him out. http://nym.ag/1ny4tHz
Not Only are Most Airbnb Rentals Illegal in NYC, Now They Turning Into Sex Dens
AirbnbBolton St Johns Screws New Yorkers
Hookers turning Airbnb apartments into brothels(NYP) Hookers are using the controversial Airbnb home-sharing Web site to turn prime Manhattan apartments into temporary brothels, The Post has learned. “It’s more discreet and much cheaper than The Waldorf,” said the sex worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The prostitute, a buxom brunette who charges up to $500 an hour, said her escort service generally rents an Airbnb apartment in the Financial District or Midtown West for up to a week at a time — then cycles numerous hookers through the place for trysts around-the-clock. A poker game or a cocaine deal going on next door.?
Lobbyists and Miss Information Campaigns
Airbnb Campaign Contribution and Lobbyists Trumps Tenant Protection
Third Parties warehousing Apartments for Airbnb . .
Airbrb Raised the Costs of NYC Apartments . . .
Airbrb Cuts into the Collection of the Hotel Tax . . .
How Does Airbnb Get Away With Crap in NYC Ask Their Lobbyists Bolton St. Johns $$$
Airbnb renter returns to 'overweight orgy' | New York Post * Airbnb's New York Problem : The New Yorker * Long Term Residents of San Francisco Pushed Out of City * New York today: the real story - The Airbnb Public Policy Blog * Airbnb is Illegal in NYC, But When There Are Dollars to Be Made… * Two-thirds of Airbnb listings in New York City are illegal ..* Turning your NY apartment into a hotel is illegal | New York ... * Williamsburg bursting with Airbnb rentals - New York Daily ...* New York Lawmaker Warns That AirBNB Could Be Used For Gambling And Drugs Next (Business Insider)
WSJ: "Airbnb,
the fast-growing home-sharing company, says its hosts would pay more
than $21 million a year in New York City and state taxes if the laws
were changed to allow such a tax collection. That figure, which Airbnb stated in a letter sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio this week, marks the first time the 6-year-old company has shared estimates on how much tax revenue its New York hosts might generate."
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