Or protecting big business.
Having said that, I'm kind of surprised New York City even feels a need to regulate Airbnb out of existence. I believe something like 70% of the housing units in NYC are in rental apartment buildings, co-ops and condominiums, and I'm willing to bet Airbnb violates the lease terms and/or deed restrictions in nearly 100% of those buildings.
Even the New York Post -- while standing up for Airbnb -- recognizes that most Airbnb hosts don't even own the places where they live.
More need for regulatory Decapture.
Bring an end to the “you got a license?” State.
In NYC, the taxes on a hotel room can add up to more than the cost of the room. This isn’t about anything more than Democrat government greed.
New York City does not need to do anything. Sooner or later insurance underwriters will make it clear that if you are using your residence as an AirBNB you a will not be covered because now you have a commercial business. They will charge higher premiums along with demanding fire and accessibility codes be met to lower exposure to liability. Then it will not make economic sense to keep running one.
A way to avoid this might be to come up with innovative time-share plans.
unethical immoral libs
What person who has scrimped and saved to buy their own home—whether that be a single family house or a co-op apartment—wants the neighbors to be an ever-changing group of transients with no investment in the community and nothing to govern their behavior impacting your home’s livability? AirBnB is a plague unleashing a swarm of destructive uncaring bums on neighborhoods and should be abolished.