Post by High Priestess on Oct 13, 2016 15:34:55 GMT
Lawmakers join Elizabeth Warren in calling for the US government to investigate "illegal Airbnb hotels" ---
"Rosenthal and other co-authors of the letter to the Federal Trade Commission chairwoman Edith Ramirez urged the agency to determine the number of “commercial” rentals and their revenues for Airbnb and its competitors VRBO, HomeAway and FlipKey. The letter, also signed by advocates in Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver and Boston, argued that these short term rental companies have opposed efforts to increase transparency, have released misleading data and continue to allow advertisements for illegal rentals even when cities ban commercial operations....A 2015 report from Los Angeles opponents alleged that nearly 90% of Airbnb’s revenues there came from “commercial” listings – people renting entire homes or leasing companies renting multiple units, the letter noted. A recent Seattle report stated that the city could lose more than 1,600 long-term housing units to short-term rentals in the next three years."
www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/13/airbnb-cities-urge-government-crackdown-elizabeth-warren
I still think that it would be dangerous precedent to make Airbnb responsible for the advertisements on its site. If local governments want to ban rentals of entire homes where the owner doesn't live, they can do that....but I dont' think it is reasonable to make Airbnb responsible for ascertaining the legality of all the millions of ads on its site.
"Rosenthal and other co-authors of the letter to the Federal Trade Commission chairwoman Edith Ramirez urged the agency to determine the number of “commercial” rentals and their revenues for Airbnb and its competitors VRBO, HomeAway and FlipKey. The letter, also signed by advocates in Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver and Boston, argued that these short term rental companies have opposed efforts to increase transparency, have released misleading data and continue to allow advertisements for illegal rentals even when cities ban commercial operations....A 2015 report from Los Angeles opponents alleged that nearly 90% of Airbnb’s revenues there came from “commercial” listings – people renting entire homes or leasing companies renting multiple units, the letter noted. A recent Seattle report stated that the city could lose more than 1,600 long-term housing units to short-term rentals in the next three years."
www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/13/airbnb-cities-urge-government-crackdown-elizabeth-warren
I still think that it would be dangerous precedent to make Airbnb responsible for the advertisements on its site. If local governments want to ban rentals of entire homes where the owner doesn't live, they can do that....but I dont' think it is reasonable to make Airbnb responsible for ascertaining the legality of all the millions of ads on its site.