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[NYCmetsfan]

http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/news...omo-signs-threatening-bill-article-1.2839977?

ALBANY — Setting up a legal showdown with Airbnb, Gov. Cuomo Friday signed into law a bill that would prohibit the advertising of illegal units on home-sharing sites.

"This is an issue that was given careful, deliberate consideration, but ultimately these activities are already expressly prohibited by law," Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi said in announcing the bill signing.


"They also compromise efforts to maintain and promote affordable housing by allowing those units to be used as unregulated hotels, and deny communities significant revenue from uncollected taxes, the cost of which is ultimately borne by local taxpayers," he said.

Airbnb announced immediately it was filing a lawsuit Friday afternoon in New York to block the new law. The Daily News reported in September that Airbnb in a letter to Cuomo threatened to sue if he signed the bill.

"In typical fashion, Albany back-room dealing rewarded a special interest — the price-gouging hotel industry — and ignored the voices of tens of thousands of New Yorkers," Airbnb spokesman Peter Schottenfels said Friday.

Looking to crack down on illegal hotels around the city, a law passed by the state in 2010 makes home sharing in multifamily units in New York City illegal for less than 30 days.

The new law prohibits the advertising of such units covered in the 2010 law and imposes fines of up to $7,500 per violation

Basically renting your home or apartment out for less than 30 days has been illegal for over 6 years but Airbnb has flouted the law and made millions on illegal rooms they had full knowledge of and encouraged. Now there is an enforcement mechanism.

I as a resident Im glad. I've had airbnb guests in my building and it's a safety hazard and something I living in a residential building shouldn't have to deal with. Hotels exist to solve these problems.

Never mind precious affordable units being taken off the market.

 

[BronsonLee]

New York can can it for this

 

[Rockandrollclown]

I see no problem with this. With housing already being scarce due to other factors, I've always seen AirBnB as a net negative.

 

[Derwind]

Well if they been circumventing the law since 2010, you'd think AirBnB would have expected the blowback they've recieved for it.

 

[old]

All for it. Living spaces should be bought by people who want to live there and not anonymous foreign corporations based in off-shore financial centers looking only to rent it out like a hotel.

 

[Slayven]

With the fuckery that it does on the real estate market, you didn't see this coming?

 

[Vilam]

Good. I'd be angry if there was a constant stream of strangers in my building for an Airbnb room.

 

[Jebusman]

Well if they been circumventing the law since 2010, you'd think AirBnB would have expected the blowback they've recieved for it.

I mean once you've been doing it for so long, you sort of build the expectation that you must be "special" and the laws don't apply to you. This is a snap back to reality that isn't going to go well for them.

 

[RedNalgene]

Ugh, I feel so torn on this one. On the one hand, I've lived in buildings in NYC where there's a heavy AirBnB presence in the building, and it really does suck. Rotating random people in and out of the building, some courteous, some not. On the other, I've stayed in AirBnB apartments in other cities and it's really my preferred way of being immersed in a city, especially if I'm going to be there for a week or longer. I really don't know the solution here, but I guess you do have to side with the people who are living in the building full time. It's really not fair to have them have to deal with that.

 

[sikkinixx]

Good. I hope everywhere does the same. Causes huge issues in cities.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Good. Fuck airbnb. Lol @ special interest hotel lobby.

 

[badcrumble]

Zoning law determines what's residential space and what's commercial space, and hotels should only be in commercial property. Period. That's how it works.

 

[radios shipping overview]

All for it. Living spaces should be bought by people who want to live there and not anonymous foreign corporations based in off-shore financial centers looking only to rent it out like a hotel.

Yes, this. More inventory available, so people can actually live in the city, is good news to me.

 

[hollomat]

Good. Almost all Air BnB rentals in NYC in apartment buildings were already illegal so it's good to see something like this.

 

[Futureman]

I don't know the full details but my GF's sister just got evicted for AirBNBing her apartment. Pretty sure she had two places and the one was exclusively for AirBNB.

 

[Trojita]

BronsonLee will no longer be able to make money through his Chinese Company funneling money through an American Shell Company buying up real estate and making shoddy airBnB rooms.

Aww

 

[Bubba T]

With all of NYCs problems with housing, this needed to happen. It's made finding an affordable place even harder.

 

[Cizard]

Shame but I do understand. Hotels in NYC are crazy expensive though.

I think I read something about it being legal if you rent out just a room while the host is still staying as well or is that bs?

 

[faisal233]

Zoning law determines what's residential space and what's commercial space, and hotels should only be in commercial property. Period. That's how it works.

Couldn't agree more. Airbnb could have been more proactive from the beginning and banned hosts that are clearly running a commercial operation in a residential area. Their concessions to the city were laughable.

 

[BronsonLee]

BronsonLee will no longer be able to make money through his Chinese Company funneling money through an American Shell Company buying up real estate and making shoddy airBnB rooms.

Aww

I'll just buy up everything in Canada instead, then annex New York

#ChinaDontCare

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Good. Fuck airbnb. Lol @ special interest hotel lobby.

To be fair the hotel workers union and real estate lobby does back the politicians who lead the charge on this bill.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Couldn't agree more. Airbnb could have been more proactive from the beginning and banned hosts that are clearly running a commercial operation in a residential area. Their concessions to the city were laughable.

They have constantly show in their proposals they could get identify and get rid of these units. They'd be sacrificing all their profit though.

 

[koolaroo]

Hoping this isn't well enforced was planning on going to Ny next summer and Airbnb makes it wayyyyy more affordable.

 

[Bubba T]

They have constantly show in their proposals they could get identify and get rid of these units. They'd be sacrificing all their profit though.

Which is why they will fight this with veracity.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Shame but I do understand. Hotels in NYC are crazy expensive though.

I think I read something about it being legal if you rent out just a room while the host is still staying as well or is that bs?

To the first point. There no lack of hotel rooms people are more than willing to spend the money.

And secondly, yes that's still legal. If the host is home your fine.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Which is why they will fight this with veracity.

Of course, they are a hotel company who doesn't need to find safety, employees or real estate costs. Just a server

 

[Starviper]

So is this only applying to residential complexes? Because if you're a homeowner and want to rent out space for AirBNB I don't really see the problem with that.

 

[CrocMother]

I don't know the full details but my GF's sister just got evicted for AirBNBing her apartment. Pretty sure she had two places and the one was exclusively for AirBNB.

Owning an apartment exclusively for AirBnB'ng is a huge thing in NYC and a fucked up practice.

 

[megalowho]

Good. Fuck my last landlord who priced out all the tenants from his building to try and run an illegal hotel through Airbnb instead.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Hopefully something happens in London too. The stories of people getting kicked out their flats so agencies can rent them out to AirBnB customers for more money is a real shitty practice.

 

[Pagusas]

Good, I hope every city in the country pushes back against AirBNB.

 

[Spiral Insanity]

Good. I hope everywhere does the same. Causes huge issues in cities.

Like affordable rates, regular folks with a new/additional source of income provided they put effort in it, and increased tourism?
Not every Airbnb host is a landlord looking to abuse the system.

 

[NandoGip]

There has to be a middle ground. AirBNB provides a great service (I'm sure there are many downsides that I am not aware of) compared to hotels. I hate having to pay a shitload of money just to sleep on a bed for one night.

 

[Ogodei]

Air BNB's also good if you need to move to a new city NOW and don't want to deal with hotel prices, but don't want to jump the gun and commit to a lease in the time it takes for your two weeks notice to run out

(i'm entertaining the option, may get an offer from a DC job soon)

I definitely see the issue, though. Owners abuse the shit out of it because they can get more renting their building piecemeal on Airbnb than renting the units through traditional leasing, which reduces supply and drives up price for those looking for actual homes.

 

[Cizard]

To the first point. There no lack of hotel rooms people are more than willing to spend the money.

And secondly, yes that's still legal. If the host is home your fine.

True, but they are really expensive. I wasn't planning on going to NYC again anyway but this would make it somewhat less likely.

Cool, the airbnb I stayed at was perfectly legal then.

 

[Makai]

What's the safety hazard?

 

[Rocket Scientist]

To be fair the hotel workers union and real estate lobby does back the politicians who lead the charge on this bill.

True of course, but they make it sound like this is a case of billion dollar industry against the common man (renting out their second appartment on park avenue) trying to make an extra buck or two. It's hilarious.

 

[entremet]

I remember reading about AirBnB speculators, who buy up apartments for the express purpose of renting them out on AirBnB.

I'm rather neutral on AirBnB personally.

 

[CrocMother]

What's the safety hazard?

You've got people in your building renting out their rooms and giving the keys to complete strangers.

 

[Spiral Insanity]

True of course, but they make it sound like this is a case of billion dollar industry against the common man renting out their second appartment on park avenue to make an extra buck or two. It's hilarious.

But that's what Airbnb is. Most Airbnb hosts are the 'common man'.

 

[mollipen]

The closer AirBNB gets to not existing, the better.

 

[Arkeband]

I literally just used an airbnb in NYC last week and probably saved like 300 dollars I would have spent on a hotel.

 

[Glix]

But that's what Airbnb is. Most Airbnb hosts are the 'common man'.

From what i am aware they are the minority.

 

[FairyD]

Has NY done something similar with Uber?

 

[Rocket Scientist]

But that's what Airbnb is. Most Airbnb hosts are the 'common man'.

Good thing the common man is not affected by this law.

 

[Eidan]

From what I've read, Airbnb's impact on housing costs is pretty overstated. But they make a convenient bogeyman for state and local politicians and NIMBYs.

 

[entremet]

Has NY done something similar with Uber?

No. Taxi lobby not as powerful thank god.

Taxis are garbage.

 

[Kas]

I literally just used an airbnb in NYC last week and probably saved like 300 dollars I would have spent on a hotel.

Same. 3 days, 2 nights for 550 altogether. And it was 10-15 minutes from Time Square.

 

[Starviper]

Owning an apartment exclusively for AirBnB'ng is a huge thing in NYC and a fucked up practice.

Yeah that is pretty terrible. I like the concept of AirBNB when it is used properly - where a homeowner can choose to rent out the property (or part of the property) to guests. I'm saving a ton of money when I go to Japan next month by renting through AirBNB.

 

[BronsonLee]

Has NY done something similar with Uber?

Nah they just confiscate the Uber cars if they pick you up at the airport

& harass everyone else