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For thrifty tourists, the days of "living like a New Yawker" - and bypassing steep Manhattan hotel rates - could be coming to an end.
The New York Assembly passed a bill Thursday that, by banning rentals of less than 30 days, makes operating a residential apartment as a transient hotel illegal in New York City. The legislation, already approved by the state Senate, now goes to Gov. David Paterson for signature.
I'm sure it will be labled as "in the interest of national security". All those terorists try to save money by staying in short stay rentals. Now the American citizen will not have the convenience, one more thing we lose.
I'm sure it will be labled as "in the interest of national security". All those terorists try to save money by staying in short stay rentals. Now the American citizen will not have the convenience, one more thing we lose.
This is true, it means giving up something for some vague security. Unfortunately, and IMO, terrorists are adept and this country a bit on the "slow" side.
I think Paris and several other cities have similar laws in place.
For example, in Paris its not uncommon for wealthy foreigners to own a place that they use as a pied-a-terre or vacation house for a few weeks out of the year and then rent out the place for the rest of the year to vacationers/travelers.
I think the law makers in Paris argued that this practice was contributing to the housing shortage in the city and the pressuring higher prices (thus pricing many people out of neighborhoods). They estimated that 10s of thousands of apartments were illegal short-term rentals in Paris. The Parisian law is a lot more strict than the NY one, though; I think 1 year leases are the minimum for residential properties...they'd have to get it zoned commercial to offer shorter leases (rezoning in Paris is notoriously difficult).
I guess because I'm not from NY I don't really have much of an opinion on this. On the one hand I'm all for property owner's rights: do with it what you please, within reason. But I do understand why many like the idea. Living next to an illegal hotel would probably change your views on the law.
But, as someone else mentioned, working around those laws would be pretty simple.
The way around seems to be to advertise as a monthly, and charge less. Wink & nod.
This post has got me thinking about all the ways you could get around the law on technicality (whether these schemes would hold any water in a court of law is another issue altogether).
From what I understand (from reading the article, not the bill) this only applies to short-term rentals in which money is exchanged for use of the space.
How about:
-Offer the room for free (thus, not renting, just sharing) and charging for use of the furniture?
-Offer a free room but a daily (weekly/monthly) amenities fee (electricity, water, sewer, internet, cable, etc).
-Offer the free use of space but charge an administration fee or a non-refundable room refurbishment fee (you know...to clean the place after they leave)
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