Airbnb lobbies city leaders to stay legit

New York

EARLY this year, Mike Quinn, a lawyer in the art world, moved from the West Village to the East Village, into an apartment in an eight-unit building on Third Street between First and Second Avenues. The twin plagues of chain commerce and luxury residential towers have eradicated much of what distinguished the two neighbourhoods historically, but Mr Quinn noticed one big difference right away - all over the East Village, and where he lived in particular, people were hauling luggage around all the time. He began referring to his block as Suitcase Alley. Airbnb guests from around the world remain always in view.

On June 17, the New York state Legislature passed what would become one of the most stringent home-sharing laws in the country, if not the world, should Governor Andrew Cuomo approve it. The measure would forbid not only landlords, but also tenants, to list apartments for short-term rental on Airbnb and similar sites, and would impose fines of up to US$7,500 on those who flout it. It is already illegal in New York to rent out an unoccupied apartment in a building with three or more units for fewer than 30 days, but Airbnb is full of advertisements for such places regardless; about 55 …