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SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

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Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#121

> “This is a win for San Francisco residents,” Herrera said. “Whether you’re a tenant or a landlord who has been following the law, this is a victory. This outcome frees up more homes for long-term tenants and stops unfair competition in the marketplace. The serious financial penalty is an important deterrent. It sends a clear message to those looking to illegally profit off of San Francisco’s housing crisis: Don’t t…

> This city attorney seems... extra. Good. Extra is what you need to stand up to SV clout How do you propose convincing propertyowners to finance their own vertical construction?

why should property owners do that?

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#122
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny you should say that! The definition of literally changed in August 2013 to also include figuratively due to popular usage. https://www.salon.com/2013/08/22/according_to_the_dictionary... I was quite surprised when I randomly found out yesterday.

This trend in language literally makes me irrationally angry. I wonder if this is how people felt when some guy invented the word "flammable" in 1813.

Get used to it; language is always evolving. Awful used to mean "awe inspiring" and terrific used mean "causing terror" and now they both mean the opposite and nobody questions it.

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#123
post #80
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they be prioritized? That seems rather subjective and dependent on who you are. An argument could be made that it takes supply from the short term side and artificially drives up the cost of hotels. Why not let supply / demand decide?

Because tourists tend to impose negative externalities upon the city (like getting drunk and throwing up in the streets), and long-term residents tend to impose positive externalities (like planting flowerboxes at their windows). Also because residents pay for public services via taxes, and tourists staying in illegal Airbnbs don't even pay hotel taxes. Also because residents, not tourists, vote.

>Because tourists tend to impose negative externalities upon the city

Seriously? Cities love tourists, they contribute a lot of $$$ to the economy

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#124
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they be prioritized? That seems rather subjective and dependent on who you are. An argument could be made that it takes supply from the short term side and artificially drives up the cost of hotels. Why not let supply / demand decide?

Because people's day to day ability to live in shelter is more important than tourists.

is more important to whom? do you mean that tourists are non-people?

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#125
post #74
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should they be prioritized? That seems rather subjective and dependent on who you are. An argument could be made that it takes supply from the short term side and artificially drives up the cost of hotels. Why not let supply / demand decide?

“Letting supply and demand decide” means deciding to give the housing to whoever will pay the most: which group do you think will pay more, the entire world of tourists who want to visit SF on vacation or people who live here? Which of these groups do you think it is more important to serve?

> Which of these groups do you think it is more important

I dunno, let the market decide? From your question, it seems like you claim to have a self-evident answer, why?

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#126
post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people simply do not like having short-term visitors as neighbors or floormates. That's a commonly provided explanation, but I find it very hard to believe that existing laws and leasing rules can't/don't already easily solve this. If too many instances of noise complaints, property damage, improper trash disposal, etc. occur from your property, you (the owner or renter) get fined or evicted. It's obviously not an…

People want zero short-term visitors as neighbors, and the law reflects that. Landlords, under existing US law, are only really liable for tenant nuisance if they should have known that the nuisance was likely (e.g., an aggressive dog in the apartment.) It's hard to really argue that you could tell anything about noisy short-term visitors, since fine upstanding members of society on a weekend trip may turn out to be…

I don’t think simply not wanting short-term visitors in your neighborhood is a legitimate desire that should be respected. It’s fine to desire a lack of specific symptoms like noise or damage. If a landlord or property owner allows guests that cause problems I don’t see why they’re any less liable than if they cause the problems themselves.

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#127
post #108
post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people simply do not like having short-term visitors as neighbors or floormates. That's a commonly provided explanation, but I find it very hard to believe that existing laws and leasing rules can't/don't already easily solve this. If too many instances of noise complaints, property damage, improper trash disposal, etc. occur from your property, you (the owner or renter) get fined or evicted. It's obviously not an…

I've been dealing with a neighbor with a barking dog for months. Good neighbor laws are essentially unenforced in the USA.

Okay, then that seems like the problem. Why would short-term rentals laws be enforced any better? Unless, of course, the incentive to enforce those laws is provided by special interests like the hotel industry. Shocking.

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because people's day to day ability to live in shelter is more important than tourists.

is more important to whom? do you mean that tourists are non-people?

Tourism for the tourist is a luxury, shelter for the resident is a necessity. If you’ve been homeless you would probably agree not having a home is quite a bit worse than having to pay more for a hotel when on holiday.

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#129
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because tourists tend to impose negative externalities upon the city (like getting drunk and throwing up in the streets), and long-term residents tend to impose positive externalities (like planting flowerboxes at their windows). Also because residents pay for public services via taxes, and tourists staying in illegal Airbnbs don't even pay hotel taxes. Also because residents, not tourists, vote.

>Because tourists tend to impose negative externalities upon the city Seriously? Cities love tourists, they contribute a lot of $$$ to the economy

A lot? Depends on the city.

Re: SF fines two landords $2.25M for illegal Airbnb rentals

#130
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Letting supply and demand decide” means deciding to give the housing to whoever will pay the most: which group do you think will pay more, the entire world of tourists who want to visit SF on vacation or people who live here? Which of these groups do you think it is more important to serve?

> Which of these groups do you think it is more important I dunno, let the market decide? From your question, it seems like you claim to have a self-evident answer, why?

Why is the market any better? Our reasoning is based on the needs of human life, not who has more money.
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