Airbnb connect those in need with people who are able to provide free housing

https://www.airbnb.com/sandy

by kloncks • 14 years ago

56 14 14 years ago

rohansingh• 14 years ago

This is great. Though the immediate crisis seems to have passed, I still have coworkers whose buildings have been rendered completely uninhabitable. Good on Airbnb for doing this.

danso• 14 years ago

Regardless of how successful this is, I wonder if this goodwill move will sweeten the city toward Airbnb when the inevitable fight with the city's hoteliers arise.

001sky3• 14 years ago

The city hotel tax is a way to sort-of-pick-pocket out of towners. In this case, the people are local. So the political purpose of the hotel (ie, "visitor") tax is not there. So, you are right this is a good way to find some common ground to work together. This can help them establish a relationship in a way that is not undermined from the get-go.

The problem for AirBNB in the long run that the concept of an <amateur landlord> and a massive bureucratic method of systematically creating liabilities for non-residents is not a compatible vision. The latter process requires that all "visitors" be documented etc. to be subject to the tax. The leverages (and pre-supposes) a quasi-corporate business structure for the hotel industry. etc.

So, there is an interesting political economy issue here.

jquery2• 14 years ago

> The city hotel tax is a way to sort-of-pick-pocket out of towners.

Or maybe it's a way to ensure that transients, who put undue pressure on city resources and quality of life compared to long-term residents, pay their fair share.

bankim• 14 years ago

This is noble!

Graphon1• 14 years ago

Seen this? Airbnb: Here Be (Some) Dragons

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-07/airbnb-here-...

bocmaxima• 14 years ago

I just tried to list my apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but was unable to post my listing because "Only places in certain regions can be listed with a zero price." Might be helpful if airbnb specified those regions.

marshallp• 14 years ago

Airbnb should go all the way and start renting out trailers in the desert. Attach gigabit fiber as well, big opportunity in that. With self-driving cars and self-flying drones on the horizon there'd could be a first mover advantage for a short while.

dfc• 14 years ago

If any AirBNB people are reading this thread please do something similar to this when the rebuilding effort begins. A lot of the "Habitat or Humanity"-esque rebuilding projects need places to put volunteer workers. There are only so many free beds in churches.

thenextcorner• 14 years ago

noted..

andrewf• 14 years ago

Question for HNers from NYC: when would be a good time to visit?

I was planning to spend November there (hostels and/or airbnb) but put that off when the hurricane hit. All the official tourism sites are saying "business as usual" but that seems at odds with the thousands of displaced people and the TV footage of cleanup in Queens. Surely there's an accommodation shortage and many tired locals who don't want tourists running around?

Would I be nuts to visit in December?

Airbnb connect those in need with people who are able to provide free housing

Related Stories