4 ms·

> the results point to the possibility that the large-scale conversion of housing units into short-term rentals undermines a neighborhood’s social organization,

> the results point to the possibility that the large-scale conversion of housing units into short-term rentals undermines a neighborhood’s social organization, and in turn its natural ability of a neighborhood to counteract and discourage crime, specifically violent crime. Further, the lagged effects suggest a long-term erosion of the social organization, which would stand in contrast to the more immediate impacts that the presence of tourists would be expected to have. I believe rentals do this in general. Perhaps short-term are worse. You can't meaningfully invest in a community in <5 years. Airbnb should start a fund get the otherwise incapable into responsible home-ownership. Whatever the negative effects of some short-term units, I'd bet increasing the owner-class would have larger positive ones.

asveikau 5y ago
This is an unusual statement. There are a lot of people who rent for a long time. In many places, that's most people.
- musingsole 5y ago
  I'll reassert my core point: "You can't meaningfully invest in a community in <5 years." Being part of a community is about presence and interaction, not anything about deeds or contracts.
  - asveikau 5y ago
    But people do often stay in rental properties for 5 years and longer, even if the lease initially covers less time.
TaylorAlexander 5y ago
> Airbnb should start a fund get the otherwise incapable into responsible home-ownership. Anyone but Airbnb. Local governments, credit unions. Something with at least a bit of democratic accountability. See what they’ve done in Singapore to achieve high home ownership. https://www.shareable.net/public-housing-works-lessons-from-vienna-and-singapore/ https://www.shareable.net/public-housing-works-lessons-from-...
- musingsole 5y ago
  I don't see a need for democratic representation in providing funds or services in pursuit of home ownership...Why do I need an elected official involved? I'd much rather Airbnb or others do the helpful work on the home-ownership side by choice rather than some legal mandate.
  - TaylorAlexander 5y ago
    I am a voluntary collectivist so when I say democratic representation I mean people have a say in how the program is arranged. I’m not a big fan of representative democracy as it is too easy to co-opt. This is why I mentioned credit unions, as they are collectively owned and subject to member votes. They are not based on legal mandates with the threat of the state behind them but some semblance of mutual agreement between the members. (In practice actual credit unions vary in their real world democratic practices but I’m talking about the more democratic kind.) The problem with Airbnb running home loans is that the people running those programs have different interests than the community at large. They may focus on profit opportunity at the expense of equitable access or community stability. In practice this would for example lead them to pursue those with more wealth to give up rather than focusing on everyone including those in dire need of secure housing. And if the people have a problem with this there’s not much they can do except try to appeal to Airbnb’s customer base for a boycott. My point is that you can have democracy without the state and that is what I am advocating. You might be fine with Airbnb running a home loan scheme but to me that sounds like bad news. And more to the point it’s not what I want to support. I believe strongly in the value of collective well being and I want to support systems that support that. I don’t think hierarchical top down companies can bring us the collective well being I imagine. That said if you do want to use the state to improve the situation, Singapore and Vienna are great examples for how to do it. Or we could learn from those examples and replicate them with voluntary credit unions. Either way it’s good stuff. I’d look up the many reports of bad outcomes when major investment firms buy properties to see what a home loan program ran by Airbnb would be like.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]

asveikau 5y ago

This is an unusual statement. There are a lot of people who rent for a long time. In many places, that's most people.

musingsole 5y ago
I'll reassert my core point: "You can't meaningfully invest in a community in <5 years." Being part of a community is about presence and interaction, not anything about deeds or contracts.
- asveikau 5y ago
  But people do often stay in rental properties for 5 years and longer, even if the lease initially covers less time.

TaylorAlexander 5y ago

> Airbnb should start a fund get the otherwise incapable into responsible home-ownership. Anyone but Airbnb. Local governments, credit unions. Something with at least a bit of democratic accountability. See what they’ve done in Singapore to achieve high home ownership. https://www.shareable.net/public-housing-works-lessons-from-vienna-and-singapore/ https://www.shareable.net/public-housing-works-lessons-from-...

musingsole 5y ago
I don't see a need for democratic representation in providing funds or services in pursuit of home ownership...Why do I need an elected official involved? I'd much rather Airbnb or others do the helpful work on the home-ownership side by choice rather than some legal mandate.
- TaylorAlexander 5y ago
  I am a voluntary collectivist so when I say democratic representation I mean people have a say in how the program is arranged. I’m not a big fan of representative democracy as it is too easy to co-opt. This is why I mentioned credit unions, as they are collectively owned and subject to member votes. They are not based on legal mandates with the threat of the state behind them but some semblance of mutual agreement between the members. (In practice actual credit unions vary in their real world democratic practices but I’m talking about the more democratic kind.) The problem with Airbnb running home loans is that the people running those programs have different interests than the community at large. They may focus on profit opportunity at the expense of equitable access or community stability. In practice this would for example lead them to pursue those with more wealth to give up rather than focusing on everyone including those in dire need of secure housing. And if the people have a problem with this there’s not much they can do except try to appeal to Airbnb’s customer base for a boycott. My point is that you can have democracy without the state and that is what I am advocating. You might be fine with Airbnb running a home loan scheme but to me that sounds like bad news. And more to the point it’s not what I want to support. I believe strongly in the value of collective well being and I want to support systems that support that. I don’t think hierarchical top down companies can bring us the collective well being I imagine. That said if you do want to use the state to improve the situation, Singapore and Vienna are great examples for how to do it. Or we could learn from those examples and replicate them with voluntary credit unions. Either way it’s good stuff. I’d look up the many reports of bad outcomes when major investment firms buy properties to see what a home loan program ran by Airbnb would be like.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]