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Wednesday, June 07, 2017

Who will disrupt the disruptors?

It's almost as if nobody thought this through. (Although we know that not to be the case since this is exactly what opponents of this arrangement said would happen.)
Dozens of illegal Airbnb listings in New Orleans remain on the short-term rental website nearly a week after the deadline the company agreed upon with the city to remove noncompliant properties.

The Airbnb listings, seen available on the website Wednesday (June 7), show properties for rent across the French Quarter, a neighborhood where short-term rentals are largely not allowed based on an ordinance passed in December. Also, there are about 160 properties across New Orleans advertising sleeping space for more than 10 people, a limit established as the maximum occupancy for short-term rentals in another ordinance. And at least a dozen Airbnb listings advertised occupancy offerings greater than they were permitted to do so by the city.
Okay, looks like Airbnb is violating the agreement. What is the city's response in this situation? Keep in mind that Airbnb's response is, basically, "Tough shit, y'all."
Laura Rillos, an Airbnb representative , said the city is responsible for enforcing its short-term rental ordinance, and that the company's "new registration system gives (the city) the information needed to quickly check permit numbers and address violations."
She goes on to say they are delisting violators in a "continuing process," but, according to the article, there are plenty to found on the site today.  As we've noted very recently, these "disruptive" app companies aren't exactly the most reliable partners in a lot of cases.  So I do hope somebody has a plan.

Back when this partnership passed at City Council, Jason Williams assured us that it contained some mechanism by which "we will be able to use their disruptive technology to disrupt them," if need be.  Might want to get that thing ready... whatever it is.

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