On the past Friday, Governor Cuomo signed Bill A8704C which makes hosts who rent out an entire apartment/home/units while being absent illegal.
This Bill meant to monetize home-sharing industry. Due to its rapid growth, home-sharing companies such as Airbnb have a hard time to control all their users’ activities. Therefore, the city decided to take actions in their hands.
Today, dozens of Airbnb hosts protested in front of Cuomo’s office. On the left hand, hosts with sings “I love Airbnb”, on the right side, protesters with support of Linda B. Rosenthal screamed “No to Airbnb because it raises our rents.”
I tried to speak to both side. Interestingly, hosts were the friendliest people, all of them wanted to share their stories. The protesters, did not want to speak at all, although they were the louder people on the street.
Rosenthal, person who actually wrote Bill A8704C, on another hand, was very nice and happily gave an interview. Non of Airbnb’s officials that were present there wanted to comment. They told me to speak to hosts because hosts have a right to say whatever they want. I thought it was a strange twist.
In my paper article I want to focus on that twist and investigate what causes it.