Live data from Hacker News

Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

euronews.com

151–160 of 337 posts

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And if it wasn't for people turning that supply into AirBnBs to satisfy their short term greed and tourists, there wouldn't be as much of an issue. AirBnB has certainly contributed a lot to the lack of supply in major tourist destinations.

Tourists are people too. This really seems like an extreme version of nativism.

No one said they aren't. Some people just don't want their next door neighbor renting out their home/apartment to a bunch of tourists who don't care about how disruptive they are to the people who actually _live_ there.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#152
post #144
post #33

A common quote on HN (and one that I firmly believe in) is: > It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. This so applies to AirBnB. It's not salary per se but those that benefit by renting out units or those for whom this has saved them money I've found typically get so defensive about AirBnB to the point of calling detractors NIMBYists and the like. I'…

> Reduces housing supply I am a bit confused about this one. AirBnB does not destroy buildings, and they don't keep places empty, empty buildings make no money. In fact, before it started to be used as pseudo-hotels, it was a way for people to monetize the time they don't spend at home by having a tenant. I mean, before AirBnB, where were travelers staying? Hotels are the obvious answer, but AFAIK hotels still have c…

It reduces the supply of long term housing. Units that would otherwise be up for sale or rent under a standard term rental are now being used as short term rentals

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#153
post #33

A common quote on HN (and one that I firmly believe in) is: > It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. This so applies to AirBnB. It's not salary per se but those that benefit by renting out units or those for whom this has saved them money I've found typically get so defensive about AirBnB to the point of calling detractors NIMBYists and the like. I'…

> But AirBnB is clearly used to create illegal hotels and that's the problem. The solution is increased enforcement of the laws that make these illegal. The incentives aren't difficult: Create an anonymous tip line to report illegal AirBnB operations that violate zoning regulations. Have submitters provide the street address and URL of the AirBnB to make it easy. The person operating the AirBnB (or owner of the house…

So, like swatting, but less deadly, and with no repercussions?

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#154
post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> how expensive is it really The answer, as with all govtech, is “a lot more than it should be.” Governments, especially local governments, have no internal technology competence, and have to rely on vendors and contractors for absolutely everything.

I'm not sure why there needs to be a lot of tech involved for a phone line for people to call in tips.

I mean you can have Joe writing it down on a piece of paper, sure. But when it gets to a computer, costs start coming up. It depends on how the software works but the products used tend to be a) ancient and b) often either not configurable enough to support new use cases or so complicated that you have to submit a change request to the vendor to do it for you.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#155
This is kind of sad but very true from my experience. We knew most or all our neighbors but then my street got an Airbnb house and all sorts of people come by including a family reunion, parties, equipment dealer with trailer etc. Maybe unrelated but crime has increased (car breaking and catalytic converter thefts are all I know) and its hard to tell who lives on the street just due to the traffic.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if I can’t afford to buy a house? Do I need to get a loan from the bank? Do you also believe banks should be forced to lend money to people they don’t think will pay it back?

Get an apartment. Apartments are designed to best utilize space for those who need cheap and temporary housing. Houses take up far more space and unnecessarily contribute to sprawl when unchecked renting is allowed.

I have never stayed in an airbnb that isn't an apartment. I think almost all AirBnB rentals in Boston (as this study focuses on) are apartments.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#157

The article doesn't mention it - and I can't find it anywhere - but in any neighborhood what is the highest proportion of units that are short-term rentals. Five percent? Ten percent in the super touristy areas? I have no idea and even before the other flaws in the study I am skeptical than anything short of 20% would make an impact on any major attribute of an area. I see one stat in the paper that "40% of buildings…

> but in any neighborhood what is the highest proportion of units that are short-term rentals. Five percent? Ten percent in the super touristy areas?

In the US you can get close to 100%, where the only residents are cleaners, shuttle drivers, handymen, and property managers. There are even new development communities that are solely designed and zoned for rental. This, at least, is the case around Disney in FL.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#158
post #33

A common quote on HN (and one that I firmly believe in) is: > It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. This so applies to AirBnB. It's not salary per se but those that benefit by renting out units or those for whom this has saved them money I've found typically get so defensive about AirBnB to the point of calling detractors NIMBYists and the like. I'…

I have 100% issue with people turning their properties in SF into airbnb hotels. You're just skirting the fucking law at that point.

The area was zoned for -HOUSING- not a hotel.

I've used airbnb a lot in the past, but now that regulators have gotten a hold of it; it's basically a barely cheaper hotel with a lot more ??? on whether or not the place is good and the hosts live up to their reviews.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#159
post #33

A common quote on HN (and one that I firmly believe in) is: > It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. This so applies to AirBnB. It's not salary per se but those that benefit by renting out units or those for whom this has saved them money I've found typically get so defensive about AirBnB to the point of calling detractors NIMBYists and the like. I'…

I agree with all of your points, at least at some point. This doesn’t mean I should call treat this “study” as science, as it is not.

Re: Airbnb raises violent crime rates in cities as residents are pushed out

#160
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is the default view. The problem is that our tax structures and zoning regulations incentivize this behavior. We need a land value tax to really put an end to it, and get rid of the laws that stop housing supply from meeting demand in cities across the US.

Yea, I think future residents should be allowed to join a city without being penalized. The artificially constrained housing supply and NIMBY-ism seems very unamerican to me.

In some ways it’s very American, it’s just the side of America that we’re not proud of. Property owners benefit from the status quo of housing scarcity, and they are the most powerful bloc in local politics.
Post reply on HN