> But in NYC, a lot of the AirBnB listings are unlicensed hotels and unlicensed hostels, not people renting out spare rooms.
Why do you care?
> I wouldn't be surprised if a good number were affiliated with organized-crime groups, either, since those are the main operators of unlicensed hotels.
When renting a room is outlawed, only outlaws will rent rooms.
On the first part: because unlicensed hotels are generally unsanitary and unsafe to stay at, are often run by shady operators who may rip you off or rob you, and are a nuisance to neighbors. Also, it's essentially misrepresentation, because AirBnB portrays itself as a place where you rent out someone's room from a real person, but then you're actually renting out a room in a fleabag hotel. If I was looking for low-end hotels I wouldn't be on AirBnB!
Comments
> But in NYC, a lot of the AirBnB listings are unlicensed hotels and unlicensed hostels, not people renting out spare rooms.
Why do you care?
> I wouldn't be surprised if a good number were affiliated with organized-crime groups, either, since those are the main operators of unlicensed hotels.
When renting a room is outlawed, only outlaws will rent rooms.
On the first part: because unlicensed hotels are generally unsanitary and unsafe to stay at, are often run by shady operators who may rip you off or rob you, and are a nuisance to neighbors. Also, it's essentially misrepresentation, because AirBnB portrays itself as a place where you rent out someone's room from a real person, but then you're actually renting out a room in a fleabag hotel. If I was looking for low-end hotels I wouldn't be on AirBnB!