Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Illegal hotel problem gets worse
From Fox 5:
You don't need to be a tourist to know how expensive it is to rent a hotel room in New York City. Those sky-high hotel prices have refueled a cottage industry. Apartment owners are looking to cash in, too, by renting out their places for short-term stays. But there's one big problem: it is illegal and potentially dangerous.
On any given day, illegal hotel operators accept visitors from around the world into their rooms at the fraction of the price of what it costs to stay in better known hotels. We don't know exactly how many short-term room rental businesses are operating in the city, but we do know they are illegal. And there a lot of them.
"It feels unsafe you never know who is in the building," said a concerned West Side tenant.
"They leave front door open... they don't care," added another worried tenant.
A quick search of websites dedicated to renting out rooms -- like Airbnb, HomeAway and Craigslist -- show thousands and thousands of residential rooms available. It was all supposed to stop in May 2011 when New York State made short-term rentals against the law. But a Fox 5 investigation revealed the problem has not stopped. In fact, some say it has become even worse.
A building employee on Driggs Avenue in Brooklyn openly admitted he hands out keys for short stays, usually just for a few days at a time. He told Fox 5 his boss owns 20 other buildings that all operate the same way.
9 comments:
And...there's not a damn thing anyone can (or will) do about it. The city gonna station cops in buildings 24/7 to arrest violators? I don't think so. Time to move on.
Those hasidics want more money. What better way than to rent out their buildings illegally in Williamsburg/South Williamsburg.
The hotel's will do everything they can in league with their pals in government to shut down the free market and crush competition. What good reason could there really be to stop the average Joe from getting a more affordable rate when visiting?...oh no, the doors are left open once in a while and people don't know who is in the building (what right do they have to know anyway)...Give me a break. In what building do you actually know everyone inside?...What makes a long term renter any less likely to cause problems. The owners obviously take ID from the renters and make them sign to cover any possible damage. This is pathetic and typical of "crony socialist" New York. If people own property, they can do as they wish with it as long as normal laws of safety are followed. There is no stopping supply and demand without stepping all over liberty and property rights.
"There is no stopping supply and demand without stepping all over liberty and property rights."
The person who wrote this probably lives in some stick house out in the sticks. As usual with these types ideology trumps reading comprehension.
Example:"...it is illegal and potentially dangerous."
Hotels have different and more stringent fire safety regulations.
They also have staff to oversee the coming, and going of the various residents.
They also have some form of security and carry insurance -all things your precious free-marketeer most likely doesn't have.
Got a clue yet?
Yeah,
I got a clue...
Russia, China, and NYC are filled with Communists.
Your have no moral or legal right to deprive anyone of their property rights.
You clearly don't understand the difference between "laws" and "regulations." Why it is that objective laws create justice and statist regulations take away freedom. If someone commits fraud, negligence, physical violence, or damages someone's property, that person is held responsible before the law. If two parties mutually agree to a contract and both parties are happy with the price and with the service and no one gets hurt and nothing is damaged, you have what is called "a free society."
Your "utopian nanny state" will never work. A "regulation" is government's attempt to tinker with the free economy and create winners and losers as they see fit. In this instance, the winners are "Big Hotel", the losers are "Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public."
The only thing that keeps people safe in this world is a "thinking brain," not the pencil pushing, bean counting, G-Man's idea of what is or is not a place that is safe for someone to rent.
A statist seeks: a chance to impose his arbitrary will—his policies, his decisions, his interpretations, his enforcement, his punishment or "his favors"—onto the free society. "Government control" of a country’s economy—of any kind or degree of such control, by any group, for any purpose whatsoever—rests on the basic principle of "statism", the principle that man’s life belongs to the state.
"Utopian nanny state"
You are grasping at straws as usual.
There is a valid role for government in imposing regulations on both business and individuals for the sake of public safety.
If John Q. wants to open and run a hotel..he can do-so IF he follows the laws and regulations that pertain to the businesses.
By your 'logic' anyone should be able to run a restaurant -regardless of theirs or the premises' qualifications. Try it. When the first person gets sick and their lawyer finds out it's your fault, (even if it isn't) you'll wish you had the approval of inspections and insurance to cover your sorry backside.
The Wild West is long over. Civilization requires law and regulation.
As a customer, I should be able to walk into any place of business and be reasonably sure that the product or service they offer will be safe and as promised.
Oh and BTW: If you really want untamed capitalism go to places like Russia and China.
Bring money, and body guards.
The public, "the free people of society", are the only moral decision maker and should pick the winners and losers by their own choice and their own judgement of quality and safety. They decide who should be in business. It is not the job of Mayor Blummaberger or his staff. It is not the job of government to subsidize the "big business" that they like, or the one that stuffs their pocket's.
"By your 'logic' anyone should be able to run a restaurant -regardless of theirs or the premises' qualifications...As a customer, I should be able to walk into any place of business and be reasonably sure that the product or service they offer will be safe and as promised."
Yeah, "a government permit" on the wall guarantees you a good tasting and safe meal...lol.
"When the first person gets sick and their lawyer finds out it's your fault, (even if it isn't) you'll wish you had the approval of inspections and insurance to cover your sorry backside."
Anyone can buy insurance. If it will get people in the door and actually makes them come back for more, I will post an insurance certificate on the wall "myself." If they like my food and don't get sick (like at Lino's restaurants) they will be back, I will make money and everyone is satisfied. If I get someone sick, I am held responsible under the law to pay for damages, if they can prove in a court of law I am at fault. "Preemptive Strikes," by your omnipotent government regulators gives a false sense of security to those living in your "nanny state." Your "government required/mandated signs" all over the place only teach people to become dependant on the administrator's choices and not "use their brains" and make choices of their own. Maybe they can actually talk to a neighbor or family member that they trust and maybe they might suggest their favorite eatery.
Civilization does require "objective law", it certainly does not need "statist" regulations like the haughty Mr. Anon suggests...
"Anyone can buy insurance."
This shows that you have never done anything in business. One's business insurance is different from personal insurance.
An insurance company will require proof that you are -registered- and that you and your place of business/practice meet qualifications.
A person setting up an illegal 'hotel' in an apartment can not get coverage and is playing with fire...Literally.
Stop gassing off on things you don't know anything about.
John from Conn,
I live at the days Hotel on Broadway which has been deemed illegal by the city and a couple of 10,00 dollar fines were issued. Bloomberg administration is doing absolutely nothing to stop his pals from continue running 280 illegal hotel rooms, and further, DOB keeps issuing permits where they buildings owner clearly committed fraud in all of them. An entire floor was built illegally, will it crash? I hope not. So this city is not really communist. The landlords are running it with the blessing of the administration. and some hotels like the Days on Broadway look legitimate but it has several fire hazards and open violations as well as tenants with their families been harassed on a daily basis.
Now, if the landlords like yourself don't like this city they can always move elsewhere where real estate has lesser value.
And, BTW, the owner should stop using one of the rent stabilized apartments for his dog and another for the dog-sitter.
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