BNB-Related News Articles
Click link to read article. Other than the "highlighted" articles at the top of the page, the articles are sorted by publication date (most recent to oldest).
| Publication Date | Publication / Author / Region / Article / bnbBlight Summary |
| Jun 28, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Kathy Gerber - Columbus, OH Letter to Editor: City must crack down on short-term rentals bnbBlight Comments: Letter provides concise summary of the issues. |
| Jun 25, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Dispatch Editorial Staff - Columbus, OH Editorial: City home-sharing regulation should boost visitor options bnbBlight Comments: Article excludes mention of far more rigorous regulations imposed by other cities - high-tech cities which have much more experience with STR's and in working with Airbnb. Article also ignores zoning considerations. Does the Dispatch care if coffee houses, hair salons, bakeries, etc. move into residential neighborhoods since they don't mind motels? The Dispatch needs to poll its readers (who are largely Columbus residents) after it does more homework on this issue. |
| Mar 26, 2019 | The Atlantic - By Sidney Fussell - United States Airbnb Has a Hidden-Camera Problem bnbBlight Comments: Here are more problems with Airbnb hosts and how Airbnb deals with these problems. Is saving a few bucks using an unknown host in a questionable neighborhood versus staying in a hotel really worth it? |
| Mar 22, 2019 | NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune - By Kevin Litten - United States - New Orleans New Orleans officials detail short-term rental enforcement failings; websites push back bnbBlight Comments: Examples of how Airbnb is reneging on their agreements with New Orleans. |
| Mar 20, 2019 | Wired Magazine - By Paris Martineau - United States Inside Airbnb's 'Guerrilla War' Against Local Governments bnbBlight Comments: Cities keep trying to deal with Airbnb in good faith arrangements and it just does not work out for the cities. This great article by Wired Magazine points out how Airbnb fights cities as the cities try to enforce their agreements with Airbnb. |
| Mar 9, 2019 | New York Times - By Tariro Mzezewa - United States - Miami Beach Airbnb and Miami Beach Are at War. Travlers Are Caught in the Crossfire. bnbBlight Comments: Good article from the NYT about the problems that Miami Beach is encountering in dealing with Airbnb. |
| Feb 1, 2019 | CITYLAB - By Sarah Holder - United States The Airbnb Effect: It's Not Just Rising Home Prices bnbBlight Comments: This is a research article that talks about how Airbnb affects rental prices and how the lack of Airbnb's have minimal effect (2-4%) on whether travelers go on a trip. |
| Jan 14, 2019 | The Wall Street Journal - By Josh Barbanel - New York New York Suit Says Airbnb Used in $20 Million Illegal Hotel Scheme bnbBlight Comments: In NYC, Airbnb has a policy that limits each host to a single account. They are not doing a great job of enforcing this policy.. |
| Oct 2, 2018 | Washington Post - By Robert McCartney - Washington DC D.C. Council votes to restrict Airbnb and similar rentals in nation's capital bnbBlight Comments: Another major city severely regulates short-term rentals and completely bans non-owner occupied short-term rentals. Again - what in the world was the Columbus City Council thinking? |
| Sep 26, 2018 | Washington Post - By John Leicester - Washington DC In Paris, Airbnb blamed for all kinds of ills bnbBlight Comments: Prior to the WDC City Council vote on banning non-owner occupied Airbnb's, the Washington Post runs this article. Meanwhile the Columbus Dispatch runs a favorable article to Airbnb. How did the Dispatch get it so very wrong? |
| Aug 5, 2018 | Quartz - By Alison Griswold - United States Airbnb guests accuse it of deleting negative reviews and boosting bad hosts bnbBlight Comments: This is not even remotely a surprise. All reviews appear to be posted by the Stepford Wives Association. When reviews are not posted promptly, there should be reasons for concern. |
| Jul 26, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Nicole Kraft - Columbus, Ohio Letter: Lawmakers don't get full Airbnb experience bnbBlight Comments: Another great 'Letter to the Editor' from a Columbus resident. This is the point of view that the Columbus City Council and the Columbus Dispatch do not understand (or do not care about). The Columbus neighborhoods, residents, tax payers, and voters are not being considered in this legislation. For the City Council, it is all about Airbnb, their hosts, and out-of-town visitors. |
| Jul 21, 2018 | New York Times - By Riane Konc - New York City, NY Opinion: Airbnb Reviews of My Childhood Home bnbBlight Comments: Another example of a poor host review by a guest.. On the bright-side, at least it was an owner-occupied Airbnb. [Humor] |
| Jul 20, 2018 | Bloomberg.com - By Chris Dolmetsch | Olivia Zaleski - New York City New York City Sues Airbnb to Force Compliance With Subpoena bnbBlight Comments: Airbnb fights NYC's City Council and "largely refuses to cooperate" in providing NYC officials with information required by City Council. Despite rampant problems experienced by other cities, Columbus City Council apparently believes that Airbnb will be a good business partner.. |
| Jul 18, 2018 | Bloomberg.com - By Gerrit De Vynck | Olivia Zaleski - New York City New York City Will Force Airbnb to Disclose Information on Hosts bnbBlight Comments: NYC's City Council votes 45-0 to force Airbnb to share names and addresses of Airbnb hosts in NYC. This legislation is expected to reduce illegal rentals, which in turn should increase the number of long-term rentals available. |
| Jul 9, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Alissa Widman Neese - Columbus, OH Columbus seniors embrace renting out homes through Airbnb bnbBlight Comments: This was a great PR job by Airbnb, but reporters need to dig deeper. Owner-occupied Airbnbs are typically fine. The problem is with non-owner occupied, full-time Airbnbs. Other leading, high-tech cities are banning them. Why? Why isn't the Columbus Dispatch digging into this local issue? |
| Jul 6, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Jim Weiker - Columbus, OH Columbus is nation's second-hottest housing market bnbBlight Comments: Based on this article, it is time that the Dispatch revisit its editorial that promotes short-term rentals. Permitting full-time STRs would only make Columbus' housing shortage worse. |
| Jun 26, 2018 | Politico.com - By Sally Goldenberg - New York, NY Airbnb under microscope as Council considers controversial regulatory action bnbBlight Comments: This article provides more insight into Airbnb's business practices. Current NY state laws forbid use of non-permanent residences from being used as Airbnbs. |
| Jun 20, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Jim Weiker - Columbus, OH Central Ohio home sales tumble in May due to rising prices, low inventory bnbBlight Comments: Many Airbnb-like homes are starter homes and there is a shortage of these homes in Columbus. Did the author of the short-term rental editorial read this article? Home shortages are rampant in other STR cities, and lenient regulations will only make matters worse for Columbus residents. Again, Columbus officials need to learn from other cities who have more experience with STR's. |
| Jun 18, 2018 | Santa Monica Daily Press - By Kate Cagle - Santa Monica, CA Airbnb loses latest court battle over Santa Monica's strict rules bnbBlight Comments: Great article. Best line was ''Hosts use an array of tactics to outwit investigators, including deleting illegal listings during City Hall business hours and manipulating addresses to appear to be in Los Angeles.'' |
| Jun 17, 2018 | The Sacramento Bee - By Tony Bizjak - Sacramento, CA The 'hotel' next door: Airbnb rentals face backlash in some Sacramento neighborhoods bnbBlight Comments: Great article. Make sure that you watch the interview. The woman interviewed does a great job of summarizing neighborhood concerns. Even with a 90 cap on non-owner occupied rentals, this city government is still struggling to keep up with enforcement. |
| Jun 16, 2018 | Columbus Dispatch - By Alissa Widman Neese - Columbus, OH Central Ohio cities consider regulating short-term home rentals bnbBlight Comments: Article excludes zoning considerations of placing corporate motels in residential areas. Reporter should have interviewed government officials from other cities that have placed restrictions on Airbnb. No consideration was presented of long term effects on neighborhoods when mixed with motels. Did not offer or answer the question of ''Would you want a full-time Airbnb to be next to your home and family?''. Using the Westerville party house as ''the example'' was an easy ''softball'' for the hosts and Airbnb to counter. |
| Jun 16, 2018 | theguardian - By Rupert Jones - San Francisco, CA Airbnb wrecks travellers' holiday plans as battle with cities intensifies bnbBlight Comments: This is the perfect example of why a responsible city should start with tough regulations first, as they gain a better understanding of the potential pitfalls. |
| Jun 15, 2018 | Gambit - By Clancy Dubos - New Orleans, LA New Orleans City Council and Airbnb prepare for war bnbBlight Comments: This is a great example of Airbnb's business practices in New Orleans (and other cities). Why should Columbus expect anything different? |
| Jun 13, 2018 | Boston Globe - By Tim Logan - Boston, MA City Council passes tough rules that limit Airbnb rentals bnbBlight Comments: Another great article. The overwhelming, 11-2 vote and tight regulations should make Boston a model for Columbus. |
| Jun 23, 2016 | CNNTech - By Heather Kelly - Nationwide Why everyone is cracking down on Airbnb bnbBlight Comments: This article summarizes problems faced nationwide by communities negatively affected by Airbnb. |