New Issues with Air BnB in NYC
Jul 29th, 2015, 03:13 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New Issues with Air BnB in NYC
On the news this am: a couple of city tenants associations have conducted a study showing that more than 20% of the apartment vacancies in Manhattan and desirable Brooklyn areas have been pulled off the market to New Yorkers and are being illegally occupied by tourists. In a city with a chronic housing shortage this is a huge issue - with illegal profits going to landlords and "fake" locals who really live elsewhere. The group is calling for a crackdown - by delisting these properties from the Air BnB site.
And for those with some sort of mania that this is being driven by hotels to keep rates up - this is information from a TENANT's association, which typically represents issues for tenants against landlords, including activity in controlling rent increases.
Naturally Air BnB says this study is not correct - as what business wouldn't.
Where this will go from here is the question. But given the stated position of the mayor to increase affordable housing for New Yorkers this may become a new big push.
And for those with some sort of mania that this is being driven by hotels to keep rates up - this is information from a TENANT's association, which typically represents issues for tenants against landlords, including activity in controlling rent increases.
Naturally Air BnB says this study is not correct - as what business wouldn't.
Where this will go from here is the question. But given the stated position of the mayor to increase affordable housing for New Yorkers this may become a new big push.
Jul 29th, 2015, 03:37 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My brother and sil and another couple rented an apartment in Brooklyn this week for a wedding. Hope all goes well.
My only bugaboo with them so far has been the communication between you and the owner. Airbnb zaps out personal email and phone numbers.
My only bugaboo with them so far has been the communication between you and the owner. Airbnb zaps out personal email and phone numbers.
Jul 29th, 2015, 08:32 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 49,521
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People in the neighborhoods which are affected by the transient accountancy might check with a title company to see if there are CCRs on the property. Surprisingly our older neighborhood built in the late 50s has use restrictions as well as local zoning restrictions. The city attorney office does not enforce them. A lawsuit is pending.
Jul 29th, 2015, 08:32 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If they have rented the whole apartment that means it is illegal - any rental of a whole apartment for less than 30 days is illegal. They may well be fine - as long as it isn;t just a scam. But might not be appreciated by the neighbors.
Jul 29th, 2015, 09:45 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 17,801
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
< In a city with a chronic housing shortage this is a huge issue>
No it's not.
The city's chronic housing shortage dates back decades, way into the last century in fact, and is the result of misguided laws, do-nothing government and sky high prices.
Air BnB needs to make sure it's rentals are legal, but it is NOT the reason so many New Yorkers can't afford to live in their city.
No it's not.
The city's chronic housing shortage dates back decades, way into the last century in fact, and is the result of misguided laws, do-nothing government and sky high prices.
Air BnB needs to make sure it's rentals are legal, but it is NOT the reason so many New Yorkers can't afford to live in their city.
Jul 29th, 2015, 01:53 PM
#8
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Everything that is being built does not have rent control, which is actually very apartments, or rent stabilization.
It is counter-intuitive that that after 9/11, that the world be flocking to Manhattan and a small part of Brooklyn.
20% of apartments in Manhattan are owned by wealthy people who live elsewhere. That is the main source of affordable housing problem in Manhattan.
If you read the Sunday NY Times Real Estate section, they highlight the most expensive sale of the week. Rarely does it go below $15 million and often it is $30 million or more. These are coops and an occasional townhouse.
Is there another real estate market in the world where there are at least one sale EACH WEEK of at least $15 million or more?
It is counter-intuitive that that after 9/11, that the world be flocking to Manhattan and a small part of Brooklyn.
20% of apartments in Manhattan are owned by wealthy people who live elsewhere. That is the main source of affordable housing problem in Manhattan.
If you read the Sunday NY Times Real Estate section, they highlight the most expensive sale of the week. Rarely does it go below $15 million and often it is $30 million or more. These are coops and an occasional townhouse.
Is there another real estate market in the world where there are at least one sale EACH WEEK of at least $15 million or more?
Jul 29th, 2015, 02:18 PM
#9
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry, that first line should read very FEW Apartments.
Hey Fodor's, they have had something for about 15 years, it is called an editing button.
Excuse me while I contact the other people I know on Fodor's by using Myspace.
Hey Fodor's, they have had something for about 15 years, it is called an editing button.
Excuse me while I contact the other people I know on Fodor's by using Myspace.
Jul 29th, 2015, 02:41 PM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure, the daughter that is getting married lives in Brooklyn. Maybe she knows the people. If it isn't legal they have other rellies in the city. They all wanted to be close to the venue in Brooklyn.
Jul 29th, 2015, 02:46 PM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4957358?s=o7oP
an example, it these people own the whole brownstone, five floors but rent out one of their floors is that legal? I will let you know how it went. I would stay here in a heartbeat,much better than a tiny hotel room.
an example, it these people own the whole brownstone, five floors but rent out one of their floors is that legal? I will let you know how it went. I would stay here in a heartbeat,much better than a tiny hotel room.
Jul 29th, 2015, 04:06 PM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, if the people own the brownstone and rent out a floor that would be legal since they are resident on the premises.
The main problems are:
landlords that built or rehabbed buildings under 421-a (program giving them significant tax breaks and are supposed to rent apts at reduced rents in return) but want more for the apts and so rent them at illegal rents or hold some off the market to rent to tourists. (No one forces them to do this - they can charge market rent rates if they don;t opt to take the city funded 431-a tax benefits - but they want both.)
(I know about this since I lived in an apt in a 421-a building and after living there for about 1.5 years realized the rent was too high. I challenged it and filed with the rent board. It took almost 2 years to settle - but at the end I got almost 10 months of free rent - more than $7K - because I had been overcharged so much. Really helped with the downpayment for my first co-op.)
people who have a lease under rent stabilization but either don;t occupy the apt full time or don;t live there at all - but do;t want to give it up in case they want it in the future - so they rent it out illegally to tourists. This is against the standard lease and the landlords don;t want it to happen - but they're difficult to catch - and eviction is very time-consuming.
The main problems are:
landlords that built or rehabbed buildings under 421-a (program giving them significant tax breaks and are supposed to rent apts at reduced rents in return) but want more for the apts and so rent them at illegal rents or hold some off the market to rent to tourists. (No one forces them to do this - they can charge market rent rates if they don;t opt to take the city funded 431-a tax benefits - but they want both.)
(I know about this since I lived in an apt in a 421-a building and after living there for about 1.5 years realized the rent was too high. I challenged it and filed with the rent board. It took almost 2 years to settle - but at the end I got almost 10 months of free rent - more than $7K - because I had been overcharged so much. Really helped with the downpayment for my first co-op.)
people who have a lease under rent stabilization but either don;t occupy the apt full time or don;t live there at all - but do;t want to give it up in case they want it in the future - so they rent it out illegally to tourists. This is against the standard lease and the landlords don;t want it to happen - but they're difficult to catch - and eviction is very time-consuming.
Aug 3rd, 2015, 07:35 AM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They are back home and all went well. Seems many did this in neighborhood of where wedding/reception was in Brooklyn. No problems and all she said was it was a lovely brownstone. I didn't mention the recent uproar since there is no problem with airbnb in the Adirondacks where the live. Many airbnb places there. The locals love it as it brings in more money for community.
Aug 3rd, 2015, 08:29 AM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad it went well for them. And in the Adirondacks if owners are renting out their own places to tourists part of the time they are not either cheating landlords, pulling apartments off the market for legal city residents, or making buildings insecure for legal residents by giving keys to random strangers - so a completely different situation.
Aug 3rd, 2015, 09:59 AM
#17
I know -- I thought that is what i said ??
vrbo et all were sort of a cottage industry and toodled along not making too many waves. airbnb turned the vacation rental market on its ear.
With unintended (or maybe intended) consequences -- in places like Paris.
vrbo et all were sort of a cottage industry and toodled along not making too many waves. airbnb turned the vacation rental market on its ear.
With unintended (or maybe intended) consequences -- in places like Paris.
Aug 3rd, 2015, 10:20 AM
#20
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 17,801
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But you can't blame Air BnB without also blaming the owners of residences that are being let out illegally. Air BnB took off like wildfire in cities with expensive real estate. Owners like it because it makes them money. Air BnB couldn't succeed without them.
