Erica, it might be fine in your constituency but it’s not fine here. And once you allow it at all, it is immediately abused – and very hard to regulate. It’s not even technically allowed here and it’s already rampant and causing huge trouble. That’s common in big cities which is why so many are starting to crack down on it. Look at Shearer’s figures – illegal rentals are extremely high in NYC and SF. This isn’t actually legal in Vancouver but it’s everywhere nevertheless and is having a seriously deleterious effect on vacancy rates and subsequently rental rates. No short term rental is allowed in Vancouver (under 30 days) unless you’re registered as a hotel or equivalent, but it’s happening everywhere regardless, which I’d saw counts as scofflaw. Landlords can make far more money running these AirBnB hotels than with regular tenants, so everyone’s doing it. It’s an unmitigated disaster here – making life extremely hard for anyone who doesn’t own property, and far easier and more lucrative for those who do. Meanwhile AirBnB’s corporate behaviour, lobbying, and aggressive political tactics make me trust it even less. It’s not a good corporate citizen. And as Harry said, it’s sharing something it doesn’t own: our neighbourhoods.

I am alwyas home when people stay with me and they are using space in my house. Many of my guests are prospective resident-MDs in the local hospital. Others are attending business or academic converences at nearby conference venues. Some are passing through between NYC and Boston or on their way to or from VT. Most people are either trying to save money (my rate is pretty affordable) or don’t want to stay in the large chain hotels nearby and want to get to know the area. I’ve had coffee with many of them. I’ve invited some to neighborhood get-togethers. None has done any drunken carousing, although there are indeed drug and alcohol abusers who congregate in my neighborhood, but they live here or in the homeless shelter nearby. I’ve had people give me low ratings due to “location” (and they have said in the comments that the neighborhood is “sketchy” [yes, that’s a quote] — because there are non-white and poor people – so I’ve amended the description to make that clear!). I love sharing my city and my neighborhood with people. I pay taxes on the income I make from airbnb.

As for the question of what other businesses can operate out of a home? I have had other businesses in my home — I’ve given English and Italian lessons in my home and I’ve done translating and editing there. And I’ve paid taxes on all of it. There are people who operate under the table businesses in my neighborhood (doing hair, selling food) and there are actual businessess, too — convenience stores, lawyer’s office, liquor store, churces — and I like living in a mixed-use neighborhood.

I have stayed in airbnb houses — one time it was a non-present landlord and it was awful! – very impersonal and lonely. But all the other stays have been with people like me — they want to share their love of the place they live with others. I give people rides, show them around — and that’s what I got from my hosts, too. A real sharing/community experience.

So let’s not tar everyone with the same brush. By all means, if people are operating a hotel that’s not a home-share, regulate them in keeping with the business they are operating. But for those of us who are opening our homes to strangers (and making extra income from it — and paying tax on it!), airbnb has been a wonderful way to let people meet each other and visit new places.