June 19, 2016
The anti-Airbnb bill united the politically muscular hotel workers’ union and hotel owners against competition that hurts their business. The Real Estate Board of New York joined on behalf of property owners sick of law-breaking tenants, as did housing advocates who believe Airbnb rentals suck up needed homes. The combination trumped well-funded opposition from the tech industry, making the bill an easy call for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan. “When labor, management and owners come together like they did here, that’s a powerful coalition,” said political strategist Neal Kwatra, an architect of the coalition. “When it’s about mutual interests like protecting affordable housing and reaffirming the rule of law, that combination becomes hard to beat.”…
Source: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160619/REAL_ESTATE/160619859/when-business-labor-interests-align-albany-is-your-oyster
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