
Airbnb allegedly purged more than 1,000 New York listings to rig survey - jflowers45
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/10/airbnb-new-york-city-listings-purge-multiple-apartment-listings
======
jakevoytko
Honestly, it couldn't be easier to find listings that violate the law. This
stuff isn't abstract, you can go look for yourself and see how pervasive
short-term full apartment rentals are.

I just looked on the block where I live, for a one day stay starting next
Monday. Six listings. One was legit, one was borderline (daytime office),
three state that the guest will explicitly have the whole apartment to
themselves, and with the final one you can infer that the host will not be
present. Even giving the last one the benefit of the doubt, 50% illegal.

OK, let's look at somewhere that guests might not want to stay because it's
far from tourist attractions, the Lower East Side. Random block, 4 listings. 2
legit (I'm giving one the benefit of the doubt), 2 illegal.

OK, let's go even further away, Fort Greene. Random block. 2 units, one of
them is actually not legit. Damn, I thought I would be done here.

South Slope, harder to find blocks with units. Pick one near the park. 2
units, I'll give both of them the benefit of the doubt, because it's not
listed one way or the other.

If the fines were high enough, the state of New York could make a healthy
profit on paying inspectors to rent out units for one night and levying fines
against violators.

