NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400 • Hacker News Board

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#31

Post by danso » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:51 PM UTC

nlh wrote: post #22

Few things that should be pointed out here: 1) First off, most uses in the city have always been against the rules -- it's been a known issue. 2) from TFA: "this law is only actionable as a secondary offense. For example, if the police show up after a noise complaint and then find you renting out your place, only then are you in extra trouble." So it's not going to stop most hosts in their tracks. 3) AFAIK, there is…

More specifically, it's been illegal since 2011: http://skift.com/2013/01/07/airbnbs-growing-pains-mirrored-i...

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#32

Post by rayiner » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:51 PM UTC

washedup wrote: post #25

Another law made obsolete by the internet that needs to be changed.

The internet has changed nothing here. The renters are physical people--it's irrelevant to the law whether they got there from an internet website or from an advertisement scrawled into a stone wall with a chisel.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#33

Post by tptacek » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:52 PM UTC

nlh wrote: post #22

Few things that should be pointed out here: 1) First off, most uses in the city have always been against the rules -- it's been a known issue. 2) from TFA: "this law is only actionable as a secondary offense. For example, if the police show up after a noise complaint and then find you renting out your place, only then are you in extra trouble." So it's not going to stop most hosts in their tracks. 3) AFAIK, there is…

Also worth mentioning that it's probably never been safe for renters to let out their places on Airbnb, as boilerplate leases universally restrict subtenants to those approved by the landlord.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#34

Post by Diamons » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:54 PM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #30

Diamons wrote: post #7

This is a win for New Yorkers. The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic.

God forbid we more efficiently allocate resources in a dynamic way. If done safely and ethically, its a fabulous with for consumers.

At the end of the day, it's a hotel. I don't want to live next to someone from somewhere else who isn't here to be my neighbor. What about my rights?

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#35

Post by prawn » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:54 PM UTC

darkarmani wrote: post #19

Diamons wrote: post #7

This is a win for New Yorkers. The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic.

> The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic. How do New Yorkers win by having less choice?

Their neighbours are more likely to be people there for the long term and with an interest in the community, rather than just renting out their place to people a night at a time.

I can see the negative side of AirBnB, though that said I just booked a place in Paris because every central hotel under $300/night appears to be booked for next week.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#36

Post by macleanjr » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:55 PM UTC

dillonforrest wrote: post #21

macleanjr wrote: post #4

This ruling only applies to the 5 boroughs of New York City, not the entire state.

This is actually an annoying thing about NYC. In NYC, when people say "New York," they actually mean "New York City's five boroughs." When people say "upstate" or "upstate New York," they mean the rest of the state of New York minus NYC. When people say "the city," they mean "Manhattan." The title only makes sense to residents of NYC.

As a resident of Upstate New York, I can vouch for how frustrating this is. Especially when traveling.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#37

Post by Diamons » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:56 PM UTC

darkarmani wrote: post #19

Diamons wrote: post #7

This is a win for New Yorkers. The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic.

> The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic. How do New Yorkers win by having less choice?

I am a New Yorker and I win by not having someone here for the short term vs an actual neighbor. This is a hotel no matter which way you try and paint it.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#38

Post by Diamons » Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:59 PM UTC

awolf wrote: post #20

Diamons wrote: post #7

This is a win for New Yorkers. The whole sharing economy thing is unsafe, ridiculous, and kind of pathetic.

Please do explain. I think the sharing economy is brilliant and the way of the future. If there's spare capacity in the world, why should it not be utilized. Unsafe? Is it more unsafe to a degree that the ends don't justify the means? I doubt it.

Perhaps sharing tools, yes. Sharing cars, MAYBE. But sharing living spaces and housing, no. Housing is one of the most intimate services out there services out there. I have standards, I have rights, and I want to feel safe and secure where I live. I am a New Yorker and I don't want to feel like I'm living like a poor person with a hotel next door.

EDIT: The very definition of a hotel - An establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travelers and tourists.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#39

Post by rwhitman » Tue, May 21, 2013, 3:00 PM UTC

Illegal hotels are actually a legit problem in NYC. I'd have to dig up the article but I've read about shady landlords evicting residents and turning entire apartment buildings into Airbnb hotels. Its big business, my friend pays his entire rent with Airbnb.

Real estate is at an extreme premium and hotel space is scarce. There are a lot of scammers and shady people in this city so its only natural that Airbnb will be abused (I've even been sucked into an Airbnb-based con job in NYC myself).

I think the issue isn't so much that this law is on the books, its that they haven't updated the legislation to accomodate people who rent on Airbnb safely.

Re: NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400

#40

Post by cheald » Tue, May 21, 2013, 3:03 PM UTC

Diamons wrote: post #34

toomuchtodo wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

God forbid we more efficiently allocate resources in a dynamic way. If done safely and ethically, its a fabulous with for consumers.

At the end of the day, it's a hotel. I don't want to live next to someone from somewhere else who isn't here to be my neighbor. What about my rights?

What makes you think you have any kind of right to choose who lives next to you, or to have a say in what they do with their property? If you take Airbnb out of the equation, the assertion is ridiculous.