The real effect of vacation apartments in Paris
Nov 1st, 2015, 01:08 PM
#81
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It's quite possible that the woman has passed away, been moved to a nursing home, and/or her heirs have sold her apartment - or they might have moved there themselves and don't wish to rent it.
The economy in Paris does not depend on the income generated by tourists renting illegal apartments, because the most significant portion of this income does not go into the city coffers, but is instead hidden away where none of the authorities can locate it.
Don't kid yourself - this is "phantom money" - it doesn't exist anywhere except in the owners' pockets, and since the city doesn't see any of it, it does not affect the economy one way or the other. If you choose to pay for an illegal rental, you are doing the opposite of supporting the local economy.
However, tourists do make a significant impact on the economy when they spend money on transportation, going shopping and eating in restaurants, buying tickets for museums and other attractions, as well as when they pay to stay in hotels.
The economy in Paris does not depend on the income generated by tourists renting illegal apartments, because the most significant portion of this income does not go into the city coffers, but is instead hidden away where none of the authorities can locate it.
Don't kid yourself - this is "phantom money" - it doesn't exist anywhere except in the owners' pockets, and since the city doesn't see any of it, it does not affect the economy one way or the other. If you choose to pay for an illegal rental, you are doing the opposite of supporting the local economy.
However, tourists do make a significant impact on the economy when they spend money on transportation, going shopping and eating in restaurants, buying tickets for museums and other attractions, as well as when they pay to stay in hotels.
Nov 1st, 2015, 01:31 PM
#82
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You are misinformed about the number and location of subsidized housing units in Paris. There are many more than you think, and in all areas of the city, even the ritzy neighborhoods.
You're probably thinking about the high-rise towers in the suburbs, but the average inner-city HLM looks like any other building in the neighborhood. There are 3 of them very close to my apartment, and I didn't know until about a year ago that they were "special buildings". The people who live in them don't look "special", either.
If you download this link and open the pdf file "cartographie du logement social", you can how many there are in each arrondissement - and this is old info, dating to 2002. There are several conversion projects underway each year.
http://www.apur.org/etude/cartograph...t-social-paris
It's fun to play devil's advocate, but proposing that everything will change all at once is unrealistic - this never happens in the real world, including in Paris.
You're probably thinking about the high-rise towers in the suburbs, but the average inner-city HLM looks like any other building in the neighborhood. There are 3 of them very close to my apartment, and I didn't know until about a year ago that they were "special buildings". The people who live in them don't look "special", either.
If you download this link and open the pdf file "cartographie du logement social", you can how many there are in each arrondissement - and this is old info, dating to 2002. There are several conversion projects underway each year.
http://www.apur.org/etude/cartograph...t-social-paris
It's fun to play devil's advocate, but proposing that everything will change all at once is unrealistic - this never happens in the real world, including in Paris.
Nov 1st, 2015, 02:29 PM
#83
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Fuzzbucket, I understand you to say that passing and enforcing laws is unrealistic, and that repeatedly stating this case on fodors will be more effective.
I'm not in the law-making or -enforcing business, but I'd think something publicly advertised and solid like an apartment, with an easily discovered owner, would be pretty much a sitting duck, hefty-fine-levying-wise and tax-roll-wise. Even confiscating and turning over to a deserving citizen-wise.
Since Kerouac called me on my von Choltitz reference: I intended to comment on the level of emotion here, the "selfish outsiders are destroying my beautiful Paris!", the threats of being incinerated while we sleep, the prostitute-hiring equivalence. Since I respect many of you whom I would otherwise suspect of overstating things, I must believe that it is a dire situation.
I'm not in the law-making or -enforcing business, but I'd think something publicly advertised and solid like an apartment, with an easily discovered owner, would be pretty much a sitting duck, hefty-fine-levying-wise and tax-roll-wise. Even confiscating and turning over to a deserving citizen-wise.
Since Kerouac called me on my von Choltitz reference: I intended to comment on the level of emotion here, the "selfish outsiders are destroying my beautiful Paris!", the threats of being incinerated while we sleep, the prostitute-hiring equivalence. Since I respect many of you whom I would otherwise suspect of overstating things, I must believe that it is a dire situation.
Nov 1st, 2015, 10:31 PM
#84
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stokebailey - I am not alone in considering the fact that vacation rentals currently outnumber the residents in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements in Paris is a dire situation, indeed. The ratio of short-term rentals to residents in the Latin Quarter and the area around the Eiffel Tower is fast approaching parity, as well.
Your comparison of housing inequities with the Holocaust or the international sex-trade makes me wonder if you understand the issue at hand.
Remember "love locks"? Plenty of emotion there, pro and con.
But thanks to many emotional residents and visitors who were intent on not allowing a few people "to destroy their beautiful Paris", positive changes have been made.
Your comparison of housing inequities with the Holocaust or the international sex-trade makes me wonder if you understand the issue at hand.
Remember "love locks"? Plenty of emotion there, pro and con.
But thanks to many emotional residents and visitors who were intent on not allowing a few people "to destroy their beautiful Paris", positive changes have been made.
Nov 2nd, 2015, 01:05 AM
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Stoke.
Your comparison is ... strange.
Second : owners of appartments may be sitting ducks but still it operates like that. Never heard of the black economy ? A lot of these guys are sitting ducks, yet they operate. Some are discovered and fined, some not.
As for appts, remember the law just changed to take into consideration the scale of the fraud. Until recently nobody bothered. So some have had years of quiet tax evasion.
Your comparison is ... strange.
Second : owners of appartments may be sitting ducks but still it operates like that. Never heard of the black economy ? A lot of these guys are sitting ducks, yet they operate. Some are discovered and fined, some not.
As for appts, remember the law just changed to take into consideration the scale of the fraud. Until recently nobody bothered. So some have had years of quiet tax evasion.
