5 ms·

I honestly don't understand why European cities don't go nuclear against AirBnB. There's so much money to be made in fines and instant political approval from v

I honestly don't understand why European cities don't go nuclear against AirBnB. There's so much money to be made in fines and instant political approval from virtually every tenant.

smabie 7y ago
I mean, just stay one day at the airbnb and then negotiate with the landlord for a month or two. I've done this multiple times and gotten very good prices. So It's not like airbnb properties are deadweight, they can (and do) get converted to medium or long-term rentals all the time.
- hocuspocus 7y ago
  If you're a resident looking for a proper long-term lease, this is just not how things work.
  - smabie 7y ago
    I think you would be surprised. Millions of undocumented immigrants (and a lot of citizens as well) in the US do this all the time, for years and years.
    - turnipla 7y ago
      Undocumented immigrants don’t exactly get the best of places though.
      - smabie 7y ago
        Neither do tech workers in SF paying 5k for a shit studio.
        turnipla 7y ago
        And? Do you think an undocumented immigrant would get a better deal in SF? What kind of comparison is that
        mcntsh 7y ago
        I think tech workers making 200k+ a year in SF are coming out further in bargains against the $8/hr workers who pick your veggies.
umeshunni 7y ago
Most European cities are heavily dependent on tourism and tourism directly and indirectly contributes >5% of GDP of many countries[1] A large part of the growth in tourism over the last 15 years can be attributed to cheap flights and cheap housing, via Airbnb and the likes (I.e hotels have not added the number of rooms needed to support this tourism boom). Given the tepid economic growth in the Euro-zone over that period, I doubt they want to kill the golden goose. [1] https://tcdata360.worldbank.org/indicators/tnt.tot.contrib.gdp?country=BRA&indicator=24693&viz=line_chart&years=1995,2028 https://tcdata360.worldbank.org/indicators/tnt.tot.contrib.g...
- hocuspocus 7y ago
  When I lived in Berlin, there were 5 apartments in my building on AirBnB, owned by a single landlord. Within 2 minutes of my place there were 3 hotels and 2 serviced apartments complexes. Maybe some cities lack hotel rooms, but in most cases it's just taking advantage of tourists trying to save a couple bucks.
  - AnthonyMouse 7y ago
    But that's what you want -- if the tourists save a couple bucks on lodging then you get more tourists, who buy more food and merchandise etc. If they have to stay in an expensive hotel where you are but can get a cheap room in a competing country, many will go there instead. And if you're worried about losing housing to rentals, now you've got some disused hotels you can turn into apartments or condos.
    - mxfh 7y ago
      That's just not true, most importantly it's not sustainable. Hotels are regulated for a reason and are in taxation, need insurances and permits for whatever makes sense to the host city, although they constantly lobby against it. In thebest case the city can plan their infrustructure accordingly, with unregulated and unregistered hotels that's near impossible. Too much tourism is not what most people who live in those cities want to begin with, they want to live there. People who save bucks on usually one one thing are usually not just frugal in that dimension.
DeonPenny 7y ago
Because renters vote, and create an unfair environment for those people would make them go nuclear not even including cleaving into the tourist dollars of European cities which thrive on luxury goods by a lot. Making people in the tourist industry unhappy. And for what so poor renters who might not go out and vote for said issues when push comes to shove.

I honestly don't understand why European cities don't go nuclear against AirBnB. There's so much money to be made in fines and instant political approval from virtually every tenant.

smabie 7y ago

I mean, just stay one day at the airbnb and then negotiate with the landlord for a month or two. I've done this multiple times and gotten very good prices. So It's not like airbnb properties are deadweight, they can (and do) get converted to medium or long-term rentals all the time.

hocuspocus 7y ago
If you're a resident looking for a proper long-term lease, this is just not how things work.
- smabie 7y ago
  I think you would be surprised. Millions of undocumented immigrants (and a lot of citizens as well) in the US do this all the time, for years and years.
  - turnipla 7y ago
    Undocumented immigrants don’t exactly get the best of places though.
    - smabie 7y ago
      Neither do tech workers in SF paying 5k for a shit studio.
      - turnipla 7y ago
        And? Do you think an undocumented immigrant would get a better deal in SF? What kind of comparison is that
      - mcntsh 7y ago
        I think tech workers making 200k+ a year in SF are coming out further in bargains against the $8/hr workers who pick your veggies.

umeshunni 7y ago

Most European cities are heavily dependent on tourism and tourism directly and indirectly contributes >5% of GDP of many countries[1] A large part of the growth in tourism over the last 15 years can be attributed to cheap flights and cheap housing, via Airbnb and the likes (I.e hotels have not added the number of rooms needed to support this tourism boom). Given the tepid economic growth in the Euro-zone over that period, I doubt they want to kill the golden goose. [1] https://tcdata360.worldbank.org/indicators/tnt.tot.contrib.gdp?country=BRA&indicator=24693&viz=line_chart&years=1995,2028 https://tcdata360.worldbank.org/indicators/tnt.tot.contrib.g...

hocuspocus 7y ago
When I lived in Berlin, there were 5 apartments in my building on AirBnB, owned by a single landlord. Within 2 minutes of my place there were 3 hotels and 2 serviced apartments complexes. Maybe some cities lack hotel rooms, but in most cases it's just taking advantage of tourists trying to save a couple bucks.
- AnthonyMouse 7y ago
  But that's what you want -- if the tourists save a couple bucks on lodging then you get more tourists, who buy more food and merchandise etc. If they have to stay in an expensive hotel where you are but can get a cheap room in a competing country, many will go there instead. And if you're worried about losing housing to rentals, now you've got some disused hotels you can turn into apartments or condos.
  - mxfh 7y ago
    That's just not true, most importantly it's not sustainable. Hotels are regulated for a reason and are in taxation, need insurances and permits for whatever makes sense to the host city, although they constantly lobby against it. In thebest case the city can plan their infrustructure accordingly, with unregulated and unregistered hotels that's near impossible. Too much tourism is not what most people who live in those cities want to begin with, they want to live there. People who save bucks on usually one one thing are usually not just frugal in that dimension.

DeonPenny 7y ago

Because renters vote, and create an unfair environment for those people would make them go nuclear not even including cleaving into the tourist dollars of European cities which thrive on luxury goods by a lot. Making people in the tourist industry unhappy. And for what so poor renters who might not go out and vote for said issues when push comes to shove.