Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Rent stabilized tenants cannot profit from AirBnB

From Crains:

A Manhattan Housing Court judge has ruled that rent-stabilized tenants can’t double-dip — or get a financial break and turn around and make money peddling their pads to tourists on websites such as Airbnb.

The ruling is the first to outright evict a tenant under rent controls without giving him a second chance, said Frank Ricci of the Rent Stabilization Association, which represents more than 25,000 landlords.

And the decision lays down the law for most of the 35,354 Airbnb listings in the city, whose hosts make about $304 million in revenue, said state Sen. Liz Krueger, an opponent of the site.

While Justice Jack Stoller’s decision is not considered case law, it can be cited in rulings to thwart would-be Airbnb users.

Stoller was incensed over a subletting scheme by Hell’s Kitchen tenant Henry Ikezi and ordered him evicted from his discounted two-bedroom penthouse by the end of the month.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's great news!

I doubt that many co-op boards will allow AirBnB business - so that should end their nonsense in NYC - other than for condos and private homes!

Anonymous said...

So does Charles Rangle have to live in all 3 of his rent stableized apartments??

Anonymous said...

Lots of photos here of the penthouse and Ikezi

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2961632/A-New-York-couple-evicted-discounted-6-700-month-penthouse-advertising-Airbnb.html

Anonymous said...

Why is this apartment even pasrt of the rent stabilzation program?

Perhaps the program should only include apartment under $1,500. This is clearly a luxury apartment.

Anonymous said...

Yes, that is good news....but there is something Orwellian about the group of landlords that call themselves The Rent Stabilization Association. Is this a "new speak" twist? It kind of makes them sound like they are pro rent stabilization when they are the opposite.

Troll said...

Double dipping! The NYC favorite pastime!

For politicians and city employees it is an Olympic Sport!

Anonymous said...

maybe you should be asking why a Nigerian immigrant gets to live in subsidized housing and there are homeless Americans sleeping in cardboard boxes.

Troll said...

'maybe you should be asking why a Nigerian immigrant gets to live in subsidized housing and there are homeless Americans sleeping in cardboard boxes.'

Three letters: J....O....B....

It isn't his fault that there are American homeless sleeping in cardboard boxes.

He is still paying a lot of money to live in that apartment, as well as another home (in Queens I think, it was mentioned in the last Queens Crap regarding this case).