

Save NYC sublets and vacation rentals from anti-competitive bill - rantfoil
http://www.saveNYsublets.com

======
_delirium
I'd be more in favor of activism on this point if AirBnB made any effort to
limit their rentals to owner-occupied apartments. Someone renting out a spare
bedroom in their apartment, or a spare couch, is one thing, but someone
renting out a dozen apartments that they have never lived in, as basically an
unlicensed hotel, is quite different.

A good first step would be imposing a limit of one rental property per person
on the site, and making at least basic efforts to enforce it.

To be fair, this is basically an NYC problem. I haven't seen nearly the same
level of shadiness on AirBnB in other cities, where people renting out spare
rooms and couches seems to be the norm. But in NYC, a lot of the AirBnB
listings are unlicensed hotels and unlicensed hostels, not people renting out
spare rooms. I wouldn't be surprised if a good number were affiliated with
organized-crime groups, either, since those are the main operators of
unlicensed hotels.

~~~
anamax
> But in NYC, a lot of the AirBnB listings are unlicensed hotels and
> unlicensed hostels, not people renting out spare rooms.

Why do you care?

> I wouldn't be surprised if a good number were affiliated with organized-
> crime groups, either, since those are the main operators of unlicensed
> hotels.

When renting a room is outlawed, only outlaws will rent rooms.

~~~
_delirium
On the first part: because unlicensed hotels are generally unsanitary and
unsafe to stay at, are often run by shady operators who may rip you off or rob
you, and are a nuisance to neighbors. Also, it's essentially
misrepresentation, because AirBnB portrays itself as a place where you rent
out someone's room from a real person, but then you're actually renting out a
room in a fleabag hotel. If I was looking for low-end hotels I wouldn't be on
AirBnB!

------
Encosia
Services like AirBnB seem interesting, but I'm curious if they pay all the
same taxes that hotels do. If hotels are paying to subsidize things like
stadiums, but AirBnB can get away with avoiding that, I can see how the hotels
would see that as unfair and lobby accordingly.

~~~
yummyfajitas
If that were the real problem, the solution would be better enforcement of tax
law rather than making the competition flat out illegal.

~~~
Gormo
Or better yet, repeal the taxes that force hotel owners to subsidize stadiums,
etc., which create the barrier to entry that leads to unlicensed hotels
existing.

------
wdewind
I think AirBnB et al need to make it clear that they are attempting to BE the
regulatory system. The major argument behind bills like this is that
regulation is a nightmare, and it's not an unreasonable one. Unless of course
you understand how AirBnB works, and the kind of regulation it provides.

------
pvg
So their examples are someone illegally subletting their apartment (find me a
Brooklyn waiter whose lease allows subletting) and someone who benefits from
the taxed, regulated high hotel prices to by renting their spare room short-
term. It's not terribly convincing, noble as the cause might be.

~~~
isamuel
The right to sublease is guaranteed by New York's landlord-tenant law.

"A tenant renting a residence pursuant to an existing lease in a dwelling
having four or more residential units shall have the right to sublease his
premises subject to the written consent of the landlord in advance of the
subletting. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld."

N.Y.S. Real Property Law, Section 226-b(2)(a).

So that Brooklyn waiter shouldn't be too hard to find.

~~~
tptacek
Landlords in NYC are legally entitled to credit-check subtenants, among many
other details.

------
hugh3
A worthwhile cause perhaps, but flagged nonetheless.

~~~
rantfoil
A whole class of Internet startups, including AirBnb (YC-funded) are affected
by this anti-competitive legislation pushed forward by big-money NYC hotel
interests.

~~~
earl
And people who don't want bloody temporary neighbors who have no incentive not
to be dicks. Or who are visiting cities and, more often than not, want to
party. Who often don't understand what it's like to live in NYC where
apartments are right next to each other and just how much sound carries or how
much sound they're making; drunk people are not quiet people. Or SF where I
live in a nicer building but can still touch my neighbor's house when I
stretch my arms out.

If they want to help people do whatever they want with their houses in the
country or in suburbs, Airbnb should knock themselves out. But in the city,
where they help introduce really obnoxious neighbors, they should go away.

ps -- when I lived in Yorkville, my gf and I paid $3700 for our apartment. If
you think I have exactly no tolerance for loud neighbors, well, you're right.
That's not even on the high end of middle class housing in that area.

~~~
hussong
I'm going to play devil's advocate here: Would you rather have a hostel open
up next door?

~~~
earl
There will never be a hostel. That's why it's important to go to zoning board
meetings / your local planning council. Just skim the meeting notes once a
month and if there are new businesses opening near you, read what they are!

In general, there is a place for people to stay and party -- and that's in
business districts. Or in hotels that are subject to increased sound
insulation requirements and further regulatory requirements requiring noise,
with penalties for not enforcing compliance from the guests up to and
including loss of licence.

~~~
eru
I find it funny that Americans that such store in zoning laws.

