Post by High Priestess on Feb 1, 2016 4:25:10 GMT
See this article:
nypost.com/2015/01/20/despite-a-purge-illegal-airbnb-rentals-are-on-the-rise/
Illegal Airbnb rentals are on the rise despite the company’s claim that it purged 2,000 “bad actors” from its controversial Web site, according to a new analysis.
Data compiled for Share Better, an anti-Airbnb coalition funded largely by the hotel industry, show that there were 15,304 listings for an entire New York City home or apartment during the last week of November, almost 2,400 more than the 12,926 available a year earlier.
The data also show that about 30 percent of Airbnb’s listings were posted by hosts with two or more places for rent — with 207 branded as “kingpins” offering five or more each.
“These numbers are unreal,” said Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side). “Somehow, after Airbnb claims it has now cleaned up its act, the company is now operating more illegal hotels than ever before.”
Rosenthal plans to enter the statistics into the record Tuesday at a Committee on Housing and Buildings hearing on the impact of “short-term rentals.”
An Airbnb spokesman said the figures have failed to take into account rentals of 30 days or longer. Under state law, it’s illegal to rent out an entire apartment for less than 30 days.
“This analysis is flawed, but we think it’s time to move forward and work together on some sensible solutions,” spokesman Nick Papas said.
nypost.com/2015/01/20/despite-a-purge-illegal-airbnb-rentals-are-on-the-rise/
Illegal Airbnb rentals are on the rise despite the company’s claim that it purged 2,000 “bad actors” from its controversial Web site, according to a new analysis.
Data compiled for Share Better, an anti-Airbnb coalition funded largely by the hotel industry, show that there were 15,304 listings for an entire New York City home or apartment during the last week of November, almost 2,400 more than the 12,926 available a year earlier.
The data also show that about 30 percent of Airbnb’s listings were posted by hosts with two or more places for rent — with 207 branded as “kingpins” offering five or more each.
“These numbers are unreal,” said Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side). “Somehow, after Airbnb claims it has now cleaned up its act, the company is now operating more illegal hotels than ever before.”
Rosenthal plans to enter the statistics into the record Tuesday at a Committee on Housing and Buildings hearing on the impact of “short-term rentals.”
An Airbnb spokesman said the figures have failed to take into account rentals of 30 days or longer. Under state law, it’s illegal to rent out an entire apartment for less than 30 days.
“This analysis is flawed, but we think it’s time to move forward and work together on some sensible solutions,” spokesman Nick Papas said.