Airbnb’s growing influence caused rents to increase significantly in tourist areas and gentrifying neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn, where the majority of the company’s rentals are concentrated, according to a report released on Thursday by the city comptroller’s office.
Airbnb makes it easy to rent apartments to tourists, taking units off the market for full-time residents, the report said. And some New York tenants use the platform to rent spare bedrooms to travelers year-round, often in violation of housing rules or without the permission of their landlords.
The report said that Airbnb’s influence cost New Yorkers $616 million in additional rent in 2016 as a result of price pressures.
Many tenant advocacy groups say that Airbnb increasingly displaces low-income New Yorkers and welcomes unruly neighbors into their buildings.
Read more: https://nyti.ms/2w8OnQE
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