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And why shouldn't I be able to rent out my apartment for a week if I go on vacation?

This was supposed to be the intent of Airbnb and is still a valuable resource if available.




I think the idea is that your neighbors didn't sign up to live next to total randos. How valid that argument is is up for debate.

And it's not like you can't still rent out to friends or the like. Just totally financializing and anonymizing that interaction turns it into a different sort of interaction. Social trust is a thing, and avoiding having _every single human interaction_ pass through some broker and be financialized is not the worst.

But really... a touch of social proof never hurts.


So should I be able to build a butcher shop right by your apartment and let you deal with the smell?

There are zoning laws for a reasons.

Do you own “your” apartment?

I’m asking because some places consider it an “apartment” if it’s a rental and a “condo” if they are individual buyers and other countries call it an apartment regardless


Why shouldn't your neighbors be able to use their powers as voters to lobby their government to pass laws preventing their quiet suburban street from being used as a distributed hotel?


Your framing is such a good defense of the arbitrary and thoughtless use and abuse of political power. "Use your power as a voter", what could go wrong?

Why shouldn't our neighbors use their powers as voters to keep their peaceful suburban street from being used as housing for migrants, minorities and other undesirables? I'd bet that'll affect housing desirability far more than short term rentals.

Why shouldn't they use their power as voters to ban the construction of affordable homes in their vicinity?

Why shouldn't we use our power as voters to proscribe alcohol in their town? What could go wrong?

Your power as a voter isn't supposed to be the power to arbitrary meddle in other people's business.


So, you think there is an equivalence between migrants and minorities who are long term renters who had to pay a deposit, got a background check and credit check compared to short term Airbnb “guests”?

Are you okay with a meat packing plant in your neighborhood?


What do you think a community is if not a group of people who decide on a common way to share resources and build harmony?


Yes, all of those should be legal. And other voters can oppose them. For example, by electing national politicians who can pass laws like the Civil Rights Act or the Fair Housing Act.


This. I hate staying in hotels and love varied and individual places like airbnb has, but this is simply valid.

As a consumer, it has to be good enough if there are only some areas where it's allowed, and some where it's not. Or maybe allowed but only up to a certain density or percentage.

Anywhere it would be allowed without limit I would probably not want anyway, just like a hotel. Most airbnbs are run like little hotels now anyway and I hate most of those, but at least there is variety and plenty are good still.


Because contrary to what tourists think Amsterdam is not a theme park. Normal people live and work there.

When tourists come home drunk at four in the morning they wake up families who have to get up at 7 to go to work and school. There is a reason why we seperate tourists in hotels.

AIRBNB stopped catering to digital nomads and went straight into the hotel business.




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