Air B and Busted

A team of New York City law-enforcement officers swarmed a Manhattan condominium last month, issuing 27 notices of violations for illegal hotel use in one of the largest single crackdowns on short-term rentals. The raid was at the Atelier, a 46-story Midtown luxury tower located on 42nd street near Times Square. This may be a sign of what’s to come. New York and other cities are seeking to limit short-term rentals that can run afoul of local laws designed to limit hotel-style stays in residential buildings. The latest twist in the war on short term rentals is a new bill, which becomes effective in February requiring online rental services, like Airbnb, to disclose the addresses of its listings and the identities of its hosts to the city’s Office of Special Enforcement on a monthly basis. Failure to do so is subject to a $25,000 fine per listing not disclosed. How can you influence your local politicians to implement sensible controls? Listen for some ideas.