Airbnb goes inhospitable

The home-sharing site lays into Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu for her proposed restrictions

By Michael Jonas airbnb, Boston Politics, Michelle Wu 0 Comments Apr 18, 2018

GO ON THE Airbnb website and you feel like you’ve landed in a cool world with interesting people who could become your friends. “Book unique homes and experiences all over the world,” is the message greeting visitors to the company’s homepage. The message to those who would stand in the path of the multibillion-dollar home-sharing(...)

The Download/ Economy/ Housing/ Politics

Airbnb goes inhospitable

By CommonWealth Staff airbnb, Boston Politics, Michelle Wu 0 Comments Apr 18, 2018

Go on the Airbnb website and you feel like you’ve landed in a cool world with interesting people who could become your friends. “Book unique homes and experiences all over the world,” is the message greeting visitors to the company’s homepage. The message to those who would stand in the path of the multibillion-dollar home-sharing(...)

Economy/ Housing

Senate goes light on short-term rental regs

Lodging industry pans bill as a gift to Airbnb and other home-sharing apps

By Jack Sullivan airbnb, Boston, Housing, MA House, Massachusetts Senate, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 4, 2018

THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE has passed its bill for short-term-rentals, a stripped-down version of the House measure that simplifies the tax on hosts and eliminates any tiered structure so that people offering a single room in their home are treated the same as the investor with scores of units for rent. The Senate bill, passed on(...)

Economy/ Housing

Walsh pulls Airbnb proposal

Mayor says more time needed to enact regulations

By Jack Sullivan Affordable housing, airbnb, Boston City Council, Massachusetts Legislature, Mayor Marty Walsh, Municipal Government, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Mar 21, 2018

JUST HOURS BEFORE the Boston City Council was set to vote – and likely reject – Mayor Marty Walsh’s proposed ordinance to regulate short-term rentals such as those listed on Airbnb, he withdrew his bill and said he’d come up with another “in the coming weeks.” “During a robust process, including s public hearing and(...)

Economy/ Politics/ Technology

Rosenberg suggests House to blame for Airbnb inaction

Senator says ‘it’s not rocket science’ to craft regulations

By Jack Sullivan airbnb, Governor Baker, Lyft, Massachusetts Legislature, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Taxes and Budget Issues, Technology, Uber 0 Comments Jan 18, 2018

SEN. STAN ROSENBERG chastised his fellow lawmakers on Thursday for dithering for years while the short-term rental industry embedded itself in the market and grew unencumbered by regulations and the lodging tax “It’s not going away, technology is not going away,” said Rosenberg, who was part of a CommonWealth magazine Newsmakers panel discussing how Beacon Hill(...)

Economy/ Housing/ Politics/ Technology/ Winter 2018

The Airbnb gold rush is on

Whole buildings, like this one in Chinatown, are being converted into hotels

By Jack Sullivan Affordable housing, airbnb, Housing, Massachusetts Legislature, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Technology 4 Comments Jan 9, 2018

Photographs by Ken Richardson AIRBNB, LIKE THE draw of ride-hailing apps to car owners, started with the premise that your home can make you a little extra money by renting out rooms to travelers looking to save a few dollars. Empty-nesters, they said, could rent out junior’s bedroom now that he’s moved out and put(...)

Economy/ Housing/ Winter 2018

Everyone knows Anthony in the North End – just not this one

Phony host names on rental site mislead as to who the owner is

By Jack Sullivan airbnb, internet, Sharing economy, Technology 0 Comments Jan 9, 2018

THIS STORY IS A SIDEBAR TO THE MAIN STORY: THE AIRBNB GOLD RUSH IS ON. ANTHONY WAS A popular Airbnb host. His 88 units in Boston, including about half in the North End, drew more than 2,000 mostly positive reviews over a 15-month period. “We had a fantastic stay in Anthony’s place,” wrote Carol from(...)

Economy/ Housing/ Opinion

Airbnb’s smoke and mirrors

Lawmakers, public shouldn't be duped by company's embrace of taxes in short-term rentals

By Paul Sacco airbnb, Housing, Sharing economy, Taxes and Budget Issues 1 Comment Nov 10, 2017

IN HIS NOVEMBER 8 op-ed in CommonWealth (“Time for state to catch up on Airbnb tax”), Airbnb executive Will Burns raises many excellent points about why it is time for the state to act on the taxation and regulation of short-term rental platforms. It is important, however, that lawmakers and the public see through the(...)

Politics

Baker flip-flops on Airbnb tax

Won't support Senate's tax on short-term rentals

By Matt Murphy airbnb, Charlie Baker 0 Comments Jul 25, 2016

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. CHARLIE BAKER, admitting Monday that he spoke too soon last week when he endorsed a Senate plan to tax short-term housing rentals, showed himself to be conflicted over how to maintain the anti-tax image he tries to project and still be the fair-minded business advocate who wants to even competition(...)


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