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I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and mention that I run an Airbnb in Philadelphia, it's the second floor of my building, and I'm a fan of all the regulation

I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and mention that I run an Airbnb in Philadelphia, it's the second floor of my building, and I'm a fan of all the regulation that's put into place. Our cleaning fee is $50, and before we approve you, we ask - are you really just two to four people? Do you understand, this isn't a hotel, you're staying in our house, so no smoking and no parties. This filters out 99% of the people who are looking for something we're not offering. We're one of the highest rated Airbnb's in the city. Our neighbors have no complaints. And it shames me into picking up the garbage that New Jersey visitors leave on our street when they park here to go to Dave & Busters. I think it works because we're closer to the original model - sharing space in our home. These people who buy up properties to be remote landlords or run hands-free hotels, who complain about rules going into place as a reaction to bad behavior? Good riddance. Is that good for stock prices? Beats me, but as far as I'm concerned, when done right, it's good for everyone involved.

5555624 3y ago
> I think it works because we're closer to the original model - sharing space in our home. Because of this, (1) you take the extra step in screening people and (2) you're there if there is a problem. When I hear of Airbnb problems, it's not when they've actually shared a room in someone's home, it's been a separate property of some sort.
- leviathant 3y ago
  For the sake of clarity, even though it's not super important - we rent the entire second floor out. It's about 450sqft - an apartment, albeit a small one for sure. We live on the 3rd floor (1100sqft). We almost never even see our guests.
  - wryanzimmerman 3y ago
    You’re still there if you need to be and you know the situation; a lot of the time Airbnb hosts don’t even live in the same country as some of their properties. A lot of the time the “host” is just someone hired to answer the Airbnb messages and let the guests in.
    - bombcar 3y ago
      And they live there - if the guests are being problems they’re the first to know. If your neighbor’s house is owned by someone a thousand miles away they’re never inconvenienced by anything that happens in the building itself.
PeterStuer 3y ago
"Our neighbors have no complaints" Are you sure of that? What's in it for them?
- leviathant 3y ago
  >Are you sure of that? Pretty sure. I talk to my neighbors. I'm the secretary of the local RCO (registered community organization), we have monthly meetings with the neighborhood. I'm also an admin on the neighborhood Facebook group. You can take my word for it, or you can look me up, if it's important enough for you. >What's in it for them? Well, for starters, once or twice a month, I pick up the trash on my street. I've got a roller bin, a trash grabber, gloves, and a big box of black plastic bags. I live in Philadelphia, we don't have street sweeping, we don't even have garbage cans on every corner. I'm building a theater on the first floor. It had been a magic theater, it's going to be an intimate multi-disciplinary performing arts space. Hope to make the lobby double as a coffee shop. When I bought this building, it was in terrible shape. We fixed it up, and during the process, discovered two colonial era privy pits, full of artifacts from the years leading up to and including revolutionary war. I've become a citizen archaeologist and something of a hyperlocal historian. I conducted my first neighborhood tour in conjunction with a local blog, Hidden City, a couple of months ago. Let me know if you've got any other questions.
  - PeterStuer 3y ago
    I'm not saying you are wrong. Just theorising. All the things you mention seem unrelated to the Airbnb. You are clearly a forcefull figure in the local community. This might influence how thruthfull open people would be to you when it comes to crossing your plans. Maybe it's just that I can not imagine how a forever changing stream of occupants with zero longer term local interests can be a positive or even neutral compared to long term invested neighbours for anyone but the host.
    - leviathant 3y ago
      Theorizing is important, but it's also good to test your theory. Again, you can take my word for it, or you can ask my neighbors yourself. If you think I'm at all imposing enough that anyone would hesitate to speak truth to me, you've never been to Philadelphia and met Philadelphians, and you've no idea what a pencilneck dork I am. It's important to look for areas of improvement, but you're foolish of you ignore the actual positives of the current situation as well, and only seek out theoretical negatives. As far as forever changing, I have several families that have become regulars. Some, annually for a music festival, others just like the price and location. Regulars or one-timers, they all typically spend more at local businesses than locals, or renters. Tourism has pluses and minuses, but so does any industry. My neighborhood is a blend of homeowners and renters. The landlords are less invested in the neighborhood than me, without exception. The homeowners are a mixed bag. The renters couldn't care less, I suspect that their mothers show up weekly to do their laundry and wipe their asses. (that's exaggerating, but you get the idea) The ones who are as invested, if not more, have lived here since the 70s in property they own, and are definitely NIMBYs. For better or for worse.

5555624 3y ago

> I think it works because we're closer to the original model - sharing space in our home. Because of this, (1) you take the extra step in screening people and (2) you're there if there is a problem. When I hear of Airbnb problems, it's not when they've actually shared a room in someone's home, it's been a separate property of some sort.

leviathant 3y ago
For the sake of clarity, even though it's not super important - we rent the entire second floor out. It's about 450sqft - an apartment, albeit a small one for sure. We live on the 3rd floor (1100sqft). We almost never even see our guests.
- wryanzimmerman 3y ago
  You’re still there if you need to be and you know the situation; a lot of the time Airbnb hosts don’t even live in the same country as some of their properties. A lot of the time the “host” is just someone hired to answer the Airbnb messages and let the guests in.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    And they live there - if the guests are being problems they’re the first to know. If your neighbor’s house is owned by someone a thousand miles away they’re never inconvenienced by anything that happens in the building itself.

PeterStuer 3y ago

"Our neighbors have no complaints" Are you sure of that? What's in it for them?

leviathant 3y ago
>Are you sure of that? Pretty sure. I talk to my neighbors. I'm the secretary of the local RCO (registered community organization), we have monthly meetings with the neighborhood. I'm also an admin on the neighborhood Facebook group. You can take my word for it, or you can look me up, if it's important enough for you. >What's in it for them? Well, for starters, once or twice a month, I pick up the trash on my street. I've got a roller bin, a trash grabber, gloves, and a big box of black plastic bags. I live in Philadelphia, we don't have street sweeping, we don't even have garbage cans on every corner. I'm building a theater on the first floor. It had been a magic theater, it's going to be an intimate multi-disciplinary performing arts space. Hope to make the lobby double as a coffee shop. When I bought this building, it was in terrible shape. We fixed it up, and during the process, discovered two colonial era privy pits, full of artifacts from the years leading up to and including revolutionary war. I've become a citizen archaeologist and something of a hyperlocal historian. I conducted my first neighborhood tour in conjunction with a local blog, Hidden City, a couple of months ago. Let me know if you've got any other questions.
- PeterStuer 3y ago
  I'm not saying you are wrong. Just theorising. All the things you mention seem unrelated to the Airbnb. You are clearly a forcefull figure in the local community. This might influence how thruthfull open people would be to you when it comes to crossing your plans. Maybe it's just that I can not imagine how a forever changing stream of occupants with zero longer term local interests can be a positive or even neutral compared to long term invested neighbours for anyone but the host.
  - leviathant 3y ago
    Theorizing is important, but it's also good to test your theory. Again, you can take my word for it, or you can ask my neighbors yourself. If you think I'm at all imposing enough that anyone would hesitate to speak truth to me, you've never been to Philadelphia and met Philadelphians, and you've no idea what a pencilneck dork I am. It's important to look for areas of improvement, but you're foolish of you ignore the actual positives of the current situation as well, and only seek out theoretical negatives. As far as forever changing, I have several families that have become regulars. Some, annually for a music festival, others just like the price and location. Regulars or one-timers, they all typically spend more at local businesses than locals, or renters. Tourism has pluses and minuses, but so does any industry. My neighborhood is a blend of homeowners and renters. The landlords are less invested in the neighborhood than me, without exception. The homeowners are a mixed bag. The renters couldn't care less, I suspect that their mothers show up weekly to do their laundry and wipe their asses. (that's exaggerating, but you get the idea) The ones who are as invested, if not more, have lived here since the 70s in property they own, and are definitely NIMBYs. For better or for worse.