“Earlier this week, an administrative law judge in New York issued a new interpretation of the “shared space” exception to New York’s short-term rental restrictions, fining an Airbnb host named Nigel Warren $2,400 for hosting on Airbnb.
The headlines are dramatic: Airbnb Is Illegal! But we want you to know that these headlines don’t tell the true story.
This was one court decision that we strongly disagree with. We believe it is a misinterpretation of “shared space,” and it does not mean every Airbnb listing in New York is illegal. We are not going anywhere.” – David Hantman, Airbnb
Last week’s court case against a New York tenant who used Airbnb to rent out his room has again highlighted the depth of the challenge facing collaborative consumption companies as they simultaneously try to create a safe and legal environment for their members to operate in, as well as pushing against the grey area of regulation that they currently occupy. For all companies in the space, education of their members is key, and for the members themselves – don’t take every news headline as gospel and work with the company to better understand your rights and responsibilities.
For more on this ruling and other related conversations, visit the Airbnb Public Policy blog.
