New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed a bill that will levy heavy fines (up to $7,500) on Airbnb hosts who do not abide by local housing regulations.

Hours after, Airbnb filed a federal lawsuit claiming “irreparable harm.”

However, they also proposed a 5 point plan that they hope will make home-sharing work in New York City and then serve as a framework for new legislation.

Here are Airbnb’s 5 points (summarized by me):

1. One host, one home: Just like it sounds, this would limit people to renting a single home within the five boroughs.
   

2. Require registration: State would require short-term rental hosts to register. Airbnb would be authorized to register people on behalf of the state.
   

3. Make home-sharing work for all: Landlords would be able to set specific rules for short-term rentals in their buildings and then secure a portion of the revenue for maintenance and so on. (I would imagine that the same could be done by condo corporations.)
   

4. Good neighbor rules: Platforms would be required to have dedicated 24/7 hotlines should any neighbor complaints arise as a result of home-sharing.
   

5. Taxes to support affordable housing: Airbnb would collect and remit additional taxes on behalf of hosts, which could then be used for things such as affordable housing.
   

It’s interesting to think about Airbnb’s evolution. It started out as air mattress rentals on the floor and nobody thought it would ever work as a business. Now it’s a huge business and governments everywhere are trying to figure out an appropriate response. Hopefully a suitable middle ground will be found.

How do you feel about Airbnb’s proposed 5 point plan? With this framework, would you be comfortable with Airbnb in your building? I know that many of you are also hosts (some of you do it for a living), so I would be curious to hear your thoughts.

Airbnb has been a game changer. I know many people who have made Airbnb their full-time career or who “stay for free” when they travel because they Airbnb their home. Airbnb likes to focus on the “community” rather than on the business possibilities, but regardless, it unlocked space in a new way.

Here’s another take on decentralized vacation rentals: Montreal-based Sonder. Similar to Airbnb, you submit your property to their platform. But unlike Airbnb, they take care of everything from reservations and guest communication to operations and housekeeping. It’s a completely hands-off approach for owners.

The value proposition to guests is that they get a more consistent experience, but with all the “local color” of a traditional vacation rental. And for owners, they get to maximize revenue without having to be as hands-on as with an Airbnb. (Presumably Sonder’s take is greater.) In many ways, it’s like a decentralized hotel chain. Same supply source as Airbnb, but they are now unifying the customer experience.

It’s fascinating to watch this software/internet layer developing on top of real estate. It’s giving me all sorts of ideas.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed a bill that will levy heavy fines (up to $7,500) on Airbnb hosts who do not abide by local housing regulations.

Hours after, Airbnb filed a federal lawsuit claiming “irreparable harm.”

However, they also proposed a 5 point plan that they hope will make home-sharing work in New York City and then serve as a framework for new legislation.

Here are Airbnb’s 5 points (summarized by me):

1. One host, one home: Just like it sounds, this would limit people to renting a single home within the five boroughs.
   

2. Require registration: State would require short-term rental hosts to register. Airbnb would be authorized to register people on behalf of the state.
   

3. Make home-sharing work for all: Landlords would be able to set specific rules for short-term rentals in their buildings and then secure a portion of the revenue for maintenance and so on. (I would imagine that the same could be done by condo corporations.)
   

4. Good neighbor rules: Platforms would be required to have dedicated 24/7 hotlines should any neighbor complaints arise as a result of home-sharing.
   

5. Taxes to support affordable housing: Airbnb would collect and remit additional taxes on behalf of hosts, which could then be used for things such as affordable housing.
   

It’s interesting to think about Airbnb’s evolution. It started out as air mattress rentals on the floor and nobody thought it would ever work as a business. Now it’s a huge business and governments everywhere are trying to figure out an appropriate response. Hopefully a suitable middle ground will be found.

How do you feel about Airbnb’s proposed 5 point plan? With this framework, would you be comfortable with Airbnb in your building? I know that many of you are also hosts (some of you do it for a living), so I would be curious to hear your thoughts.

Airbnb has been a game changer. I know many people who have made Airbnb their full-time career or who “stay for free” when they travel because they Airbnb their home. Airbnb likes to focus on the “community” rather than on the business possibilities, but regardless, it unlocked space in a new way.

Here’s another take on decentralized vacation rentals: Montreal-based Sonder. Similar to Airbnb, you submit your property to their platform. But unlike Airbnb, they take care of everything from reservations and guest communication to operations and housekeeping. It’s a completely hands-off approach for owners.

The value proposition to guests is that they get a more consistent experience, but with all the “local color” of a traditional vacation rental. And for owners, they get to maximize revenue without having to be as hands-on as with an Airbnb. (Presumably Sonder’s take is greater.) In many ways, it’s like a decentralized hotel chain. Same supply source as Airbnb, but they are now unifying the customer experience.

It’s fascinating to watch this software/internet layer developing on top of real estate. It’s giving me all sorts of ideas.