4 ms·

Agreed. I actually don't even understand what ground a discriminated guest would have. A host is not a business, as far as I know everybody can decide who ent

by dudul 10y ago

Agreed. I actually don't even understand what ground a discriminated guest would have. A host is not a business, as far as I know everybody can decide who enters their house. That being said I'm not a lawyer.

wvenable 10y ago
I think the question revolves around whether a host is a business. If you're a business, all sorts of rules apply that don't apply if you're not. Now here are people taking money in exchange for service, it might be hard to argue they aren't a business.
meira 10y ago
You are arguing against the legality of airbnb.
nacho2sweet 10y ago
In places like Vancouver all hosts are soon going to be required to have business licenses posted on their AirBnB listings.
- briandear 10y ago
  That's ridiculous. Government overreach. The government should leave people alone.
eropple 10y ago
In the United States, if you're using your property to derive revenues, you are almost certainly a "business" by the legal definitions of the term that'd put you under the purview of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- toomuchtodo 10y ago
  Discrimination is permitted if you're not renting your entire home. Key takeaway: "Who you bring in to your private home is a very personal decision that the state has no business regulating. This is the part of the opinion that convinced me." https://blog.splitwise.com/2012/02/07/court-allows-discrimination-in-roommate-selection/ https://blog.splitwise.com/2012/02/07/court-allows-discrimin... The court opinion: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/02/02/09-55272.pdf http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/02/02/09...
  - gertef 10y ago
    And your private home is a very personal place that has no _business_ involving in regulatable commerce. Is your house a "private" house or a public hotel? AirBnBers want it both ways. I spend more time at my office than at home, why is my home more personal?
    - toomuchtodo 10y ago
      This may be how you feel, which I can appreciate. I'm simply pointing out that case law has been established that its allowed. If you have a roommate in your home, AirBnB or not, the law lets you discriminate.
    - mahyarm 10y ago
      So people getting money from paying roomates, doing private lessons (personal training, music, etc), therapy, working remotely, etc have no business of doing so in their home too?
    - smegel 10y ago
      > And your private home is a very personal place that has no _business_ involving in regulatable commerce Says who?
  - AcerbicZero 10y ago
    That was an interesting read, about an area I'd never really considered before. I'm not sure if I'd accept Airbnb guest == roommate, but the overlap might be close enough that I could see the underlying court decision being at least partially applicable.
st3v3r 10y ago
A host is absolutely a business. Anyone thinking this is just "sharing" has no idea what they're talking about.
morgante 10y ago
Tell that to all the people deducting Airbnb expenses on their taxes.
TheCoelacanth 10y ago
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to refuse to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin unless it is part of your own primary residence and has two or less units.

by dudul 10y ago

wvenable 10y ago

I think the question revolves around whether a host is a business. If you're a business, all sorts of rules apply that don't apply if you're not. Now here are people taking money in exchange for service, it might be hard to argue they aren't a business.

meira 10y ago

You are arguing against the legality of airbnb.

nacho2sweet 10y ago

In places like Vancouver all hosts are soon going to be required to have business licenses posted on their AirBnB listings.

briandear 10y ago
That's ridiculous. Government overreach. The government should leave people alone.

eropple 10y ago

In the United States, if you're using your property to derive revenues, you are almost certainly a "business" by the legal definitions of the term that'd put you under the purview of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

toomuchtodo 10y ago
Discrimination is permitted if you're not renting your entire home. Key takeaway: "Who you bring in to your private home is a very personal decision that the state has no business regulating. This is the part of the opinion that convinced me." https://blog.splitwise.com/2012/02/07/court-allows-discrimination-in-roommate-selection/ https://blog.splitwise.com/2012/02/07/court-allows-discrimin... The court opinion: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/02/02/09-55272.pdf http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/02/02/09...
- gertef 10y ago
  And your private home is a very personal place that has no _business_ involving in regulatable commerce. Is your house a "private" house or a public hotel? AirBnBers want it both ways. I spend more time at my office than at home, why is my home more personal?
  - toomuchtodo 10y ago
    This may be how you feel, which I can appreciate. I'm simply pointing out that case law has been established that its allowed. If you have a roommate in your home, AirBnB or not, the law lets you discriminate.
  - mahyarm 10y ago
    So people getting money from paying roomates, doing private lessons (personal training, music, etc), therapy, working remotely, etc have no business of doing so in their home too?
  - smegel 10y ago
    > And your private home is a very personal place that has no _business_ involving in regulatable commerce Says who?
- AcerbicZero 10y ago
  That was an interesting read, about an area I'd never really considered before. I'm not sure if I'd accept Airbnb guest == roommate, but the overlap might be close enough that I could see the underlying court decision being at least partially applicable.

st3v3r 10y ago

A host is absolutely a business. Anyone thinking this is just "sharing" has no idea what they're talking about.

morgante 10y ago

Tell that to all the people deducting Airbnb expenses on their taxes.

TheCoelacanth 10y ago

The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to refuse to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin unless it is part of your own primary residence and has two or less units.