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A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

nytimes.com

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Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#171

Post by [deleted] »

Zimahl wrote: post #68
kbutler wrote: post #33

This is especially ironic in light of the post-Sandy NYC-AirBnB "partnership": "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Airbnb today announced the launch of a new platform to help connect victims of Hurricane Sandy with free housing options. Airbnb is now providing a platform to connect those who are eager to offer free housing to those who have been displaced by the storm." http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c093…

I don't see any irony. Allowing someone to stay in your home as a guest is not the same as being paid for lodging. If AirBnB was there to facilitate people to open their homes for non-paying guests, none of this would be a problem. Although renters who rent out rooms outside of their landlord's permission are just asking for an eviction.

[deleted]

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#172

Post by [deleted] »

Zimahl wrote: post #68
kbutler wrote: post #33

This is especially ironic in light of the post-Sandy NYC-AirBnB "partnership": "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Airbnb today announced the launch of a new platform to help connect victims of Hurricane Sandy with free housing options. Airbnb is now providing a platform to connect those who are eager to offer free housing to those who have been displaced by the storm." http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c093…

I don't see any irony. Allowing someone to stay in your home as a guest is not the same as being paid for lodging. If AirBnB was there to facilitate people to open their homes for non-paying guests, none of this would be a problem. Although renters who rent out rooms outside of their landlord's permission are just asking for an eviction.

[deleted]

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#173

Post by kbutler »

danso wrote: post #124
kbutler wrote: post #33

This is especially ironic in light of the post-Sandy NYC-AirBnB "partnership": "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Airbnb today announced the launch of a new platform to help connect victims of Hurricane Sandy with free housing options. Airbnb is now providing a platform to connect those who are eager to offer free housing to those who have been displaced by the storm." http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c093…

Why is this "ironic"? Or are you saying that if BP steps in with a generous donation of gasoline supplies during a natural disaster, the government should give them more leeway in environmental regulations?

'A situation is often considered to be ironic (situational irony) if there is an "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result."' (wikipedia)

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#174

Post by danso »

kbutler wrote: post #173
danso wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is this "ironic"? Or are you saying that if BP steps in with a generous donation of gasoline supplies during a natural disaster, the government should give them more leeway in environmental regulations?

'A situation is often considered to be ironic (situational irony) if there is an "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result."' (wikipedia)

Right...so it would be ironic if the city banned airbnb as an operator. But that's not what's going on here. People are being punished for breaking laws, Airbnb is merely the vehicle used to do so.

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#175

Post by tptacek »

001sky wrote: post #167
potatolicious wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who gives you the right to protection? Hotel owners, operators, and employees are all represented, tax-paying members of our society. What exactly makes them unworthy of protection moreso than yourself?

they are professional real-estate investors. your analogy is like saying invetment bankers and vc's need protection from their clients or entreprenuers. while they do need (and are entitled to) equal protection to support bilateral contract, its not clear they need protection laws in the sense of "consumer protection"==which is protection given in the public interest to allow 'naive' parties to trust 'sophisticated'…

That's an embarrassingly reductionist viewpoint; it's hard to think of a profession that can't be considered a professional investor of some form or another.

What's embarrassing about it is that you obviously don't grok the difference between investors and speculators. An investor is someone who spends time and money on something in the hopes that its growth or development or even upkeep will eventually provide a return. This is almost always a good thing. A speculator --- like an investment banker or VC --- leverages capital to place bets, and any good that comes from those bets is an unintended consequence.

You will have a very hard time reasoning about most of western civilization if you start from a point that equates all investment with speculation.

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#176

Post by tptacek »

argumentum wrote: post #141
goodcanadian wrote: post #29

The rules serve a lot of purposes: 1. To protect hotel owners and operators. 2. To protect consumers. They are guaranteed that the hotel has proper insurance, for example. 3. To protect neighbours. You can't open up a hotel in the house next door for much the same reasons that you can't open a pub or an aluminum smelter. 4. And yes, there is some rent seeking behaviour. I'll just mention transient accommodation taxes…

> 1. To protect hotel owners and operators. Who gives them the right to protection?

Who gives [hotel owners] the right to protection?

We do, because we struck up a deal with them that obligated them to pay fees and comply with onerous regulations to ensure public safety. We have, in effect, a contract with them. If we want to amend the terms of that contract, we amend the law.

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#177

Post by jrockway »

anigbrowl wrote: post #118
jrockway wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uh, he killed someone. That's just plain negligent.

It's criminal because he disregarded traffic signals (I believe he recently pleasded guilty BTW). It's also negligent when he gets sued by the decedent's relatives in civil court. That's not the app's fault, but it's not the only case where people have got into accidents because they were pursuing the status of fastest rider on a particular route. Where rewarding people (even intangibly) encourages them to push up ag…

Riding a bike fast is not all that dangerous. Ignoring traffic controls is. One would expect that the "king of the mountain" rating is based on a combination of lucky traffic light timing in addition to raw cycling skill. Otherwise, Lance Armstrong would win every route, right?

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#178

Post by jash »

As an airbnb host and user for more than 2 years, I would just like to say that I find Airbnb to always accessible and thorough in all matters related to my experience. They have taken the measure to have insurance in which to protect those renting out. I do not expect them to keep me abreast of laws ordinances in my neighborhood as that is my due diligence. I have been completely thrilled with my experience and recommend it to others.

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#179

Post by argumentum »

tptacek wrote: post #176
argumentum wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. To protect hotel owners and operators. Who gives them the right to protection?

Who gives [hotel owners] the right to protection? We do, because we struck up a deal with them that obligated them to pay fees and comply with onerous regulations to ensure public safety. We have, in effect, a contract with them. If we want to amend the terms of that contract, we amend the law.

Who is We?

I never signed a contract.

Re: A Warning for Airbnb Hosts

#180

Post by argumentum »

potatolicious wrote: post #155
argumentum wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. To protect hotel owners and operators. Who gives them the right to protection?

Who gives you the right to protection? Hotel owners, operators, and employees are all represented, tax-paying members of our society. What exactly makes them unworthy of protection moreso than yourself?

As an AirBnB host, I do not ask for ANY protection from hotels. Let them do their thing, and I will do mine.
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