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The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

nytimes.com

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Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#21

Post by massivecali »

matchbok wrote: post #14

More bad behavior that is encouraged by the AirBnb leadership. Disgusting. They could solve this problem overnight with their software but choose not to because it makes ~70% of their revenue, while at the same time claiming they are a "home-sharing" site. AirBnb needs to go into the trash. They consume resources and push costs onto the community and neighbors, while making millions.

The same could be said for all foreign realestate investment where homes sit empty. (Granted that could be solved by a vacancy tax.)

But people already buy places and rent them out as income property. This puts a burden on renters and increases the incentives for builders to only construct larger apartments and homes. It raises the price for everyone and poor single people suffer the most.

Im not following how airbnb is worse than individuals who have profited off the community and neighbors since forever?

Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#23

Post by duxup »

dehrmann wrote: post #18
duxup wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a monopoly to break? Are all hotels in NY owned by the same group? There are other issues as well of course, that Airbnb guests (and the owners) who are running a hotel don't care at all if their guests bother the neighbors, leave trash outside, etc. It might be New York City, but it's also a community deciding how things are laid out and work, how they gather taxes, and etc in their city.

The part that I wish someone would break is hotel/tourism tax. It's a tax that locals rarely pay, but visitors pay all the time, and since visitors don't vote where they visit, it's a form or taxation without representation.

I get what you're saying, but any travel would then be " taxation without representation". Ultimately the locals have to be the ones to make the call on local taxes.

I get what you're getting at but I'm not sure I see a good way around that. Folks who can't vote on local taxes, tax free? Everyone would just shop the next town or state over....

I think that's just too expansive of a view on taxation and representation to make sense.

Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#24

Post by rootusrootus »

notmyaccount wrote: post #7
duxup wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a monopoly to break? Are all hotels in NY owned by the same group? There are other issues as well of course, that Airbnb guests (and the owners) who are running a hotel don't care at all if their guests bother the neighbors, leave trash outside, etc. It might be New York City, but it's also a community deciding how things are laid out and work, how they gather taxes, and etc in their city.

If all the hotel, taxi, etc. owners group up to create a cartel to keep the status quo and not to disrupt the market, then that is also not exactly good. The choice of a community does not necessarily mean that it is the right choice.

If not the community itself, who do you propose gets to determine what the right choice is?

Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#25

Post by Swizec »

dehrmann wrote: post #18
duxup wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a monopoly to break? Are all hotels in NY owned by the same group? There are other issues as well of course, that Airbnb guests (and the owners) who are running a hotel don't care at all if their guests bother the neighbors, leave trash outside, etc. It might be New York City, but it's also a community deciding how things are laid out and work, how they gather taxes, and etc in their city.

The part that I wish someone would break is hotel/tourism tax. It's a tax that locals rarely pay, but visitors pay all the time, and since visitors don't vote where they visit, it's a form or taxation without representation.

> it's a form or taxation without representation.

Immigrants, even permanent residents, pay all the taxes and have none of the representation. Felons too (while in prison and up to 2 years after).

I have a feeling “taxation without representation” stopped being an applicable argument as soon as USA won the independence war.

Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#26

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

dehrmann wrote: post #18
duxup wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a monopoly to break? Are all hotels in NY owned by the same group? There are other issues as well of course, that Airbnb guests (and the owners) who are running a hotel don't care at all if their guests bother the neighbors, leave trash outside, etc. It might be New York City, but it's also a community deciding how things are laid out and work, how they gather taxes, and etc in their city.

The part that I wish someone would break is hotel/tourism tax. It's a tax that locals rarely pay, but visitors pay all the time, and since visitors don't vote where they visit, it's a form or taxation without representation.

I don't think "taxation without representation" means what you think it means. This city is run by and for the benefit of New Yorkers; if you don't like it, don't visit. Presumably of they try to charge more than visitors are willing to pay they would lose tourist dollars.

Re: The Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme

#28

Post by matchbok »

massivecali wrote: post #21
matchbok wrote: post #14

More bad behavior that is encouraged by the AirBnb leadership. Disgusting. They could solve this problem overnight with their software but choose not to because it makes ~70% of their revenue, while at the same time claiming they are a "home-sharing" site. AirBnb needs to go into the trash. They consume resources and push costs onto the community and neighbors, while making millions.

The same could be said for all foreign realestate investment where homes sit empty. (Granted that could be solved by a vacancy tax.) But people already buy places and rent them out as income property. This puts a burden on renters and increases the incentives for builders to only construct larger apartments and homes. It raises the price for everyone and poor single people suffer the most. Im not following how airbnb…

Because renting != hotel. There is a huge different between how a tourist treats a building/apartment/neighborhood and a resident does. There are many good reasons why hotels have regulations. Mini-hotel platforms are not subject to the same things.
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