Many users of the popular home rental service Airbnb may be breaking the law, according to a new report from the state attorney general’s office.
A subpoena was launched earlier this year to investigate illegal hotels using the website. Based on that, New York State State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says as much as 72 percent of Airbnb reservations made over the last few years violate city laws.
It points out several areas of concern including violations of the city’s multiple dwelling and zoning laws, commercial users utilizing the site to run businesses, and numerous units appearing to serve as illegal hostels.
The report also notes gentrified neighborhoods account for a large majority of the site’s profits and the short term rentals the service offers is pushing out long-term housing options.
Schneiderman says the report raises serious concerns about illegal hotels and the impact they will have on the city.
In response to the report, AirBnb said, in part, “We need to work together on some sensible rules that stop bad actors and protect regular people who simply want to share the home in which they live. The report’s conclusions rely on incomplete and outdated information.”
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via Great Local News: New York http://ift.tt/1iZiLP1
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