Judge Boots Rent-Stabilized Tenant Over Airbnb
For the first time in NYC, a housing court judge has ordered the eviction of a tenant in a rent-stabilized apartment for renting their pad out on Airbnb. The tenant’s two-bedroom at 450 W 42nd St in Hell’s Kitchen goes for $6,670 a month, about a third off the market rate, according to the NY Post. Crain’s reported in October that Related Cos, which owns the building, set up a program for its managers to comb the site for tenants abusing the service. The ruling won’t impact people offering market-rate rentals, but it could help set the tone to make it harder for Airbnb to operate here. Also on Friday it came out that Airbnb will be ordered to pay the City of San Francisco $25M in back hotel taxes. Related and Airbnb couldn’t be reached to comment in time to publish.
