October 20, 2016
With a bill aimed at curtailing online rental companies like Airbnb in New York City sits on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk, a sustained effort is picking up to influence his decision. Supporters of the bill — including affordable housing advocates and New York City tenants — are emailing Cuomo’s office urging him to sign the bill that would outlaw the advertising of multifamily dwellings on websites, a measure seen as being aimed squarely at Airbnb. At the same time, advocates have in their first day generated hundreds of calls pushing the bill. Proponents of the measure insist it is aimed at bolstering affordable housing in New York City and cracking down on so-called illegal hotels advertised online. “Airbnb has been breaking the laws for years, and lining their pockets at the expense of our affordable housing stock,” said Michael McKee, the treasurer of Tenants PAC. “They have built a multi-billion empire by stealing thousands of housing units and driving up rents and displacing tenants. If Governor Cuomo wants to protect NYC tenants and not Silicon Valley billionaires, he will sign this bill into law.”…
Source: http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2016/10/the-online-rent-wars-step-up/
Menu