---
The assertion that, for residential rental, anything that is not a free market is "dehumanizing" to "everyone who came after you" is not self-evident.
Consider this: when someone gets an apartment, they put down roots. Their utility curve is biased towards them wanting to stay where they are. They arguably should not be asked to swap the location of where they live as easily as a day trader would sell stocks. Think about commuting for a person already making ends meet with multiple jobs; think about the disruption to a child's schooling. Rent control is designed to account for this, to dampen the dynamic system of the housing market as an attempt for greater overall utility.
Whether it is optimal, whether it is overapplied - since utility can't easily be quantified, that's something that everyone will have a different opinion on. Quoth the Dude, "That's just, like, your opinion, man." [0] You're certainly entitled to call someone else's opinion "dehumanizing," and they are equally entitled to downvote you in return.
Well unfortunately intentions are not consequences. Rent control has very visibly benefits (grandma gets to keep her apartment at close to the same rent as she has been paying for decades) but distorts the market in very subtle but destructive ways (landlords not paying for any maintenance and harassment and dehumanization of tenants paying below market rates).
There are transaction costs to everything. You think a landlord wants to go through the process of finding a new tenant and moving him in, ideally with no difference between your move out day and the new tenants move in date? Also, the protections you receive are priced into the cost. Would you take a slightly lower rent if the landlord could kick you out at any time?
> Putting down roots
This is very sentimental but that argument can be used to justify many policies that are meant to favor the recipients of a current system. In America there has been a huge transfer of wealth from the young and relatively poor to the old and relatively wealthy.
> Whether it is optimal, whether it is overapplied - since utility can't easily be quantified, that's something that everyone will have a different opinion on.
Yes, that's why we have a market and people are willing to trade based on their own utility (e.g. I signed a two year lease at a higher net effective rent)
When your area of comfort is being disrupted = Disgusting(Airbnb).
When somebody else's area of comfort is being disrupted = Innovation(Uber).
Airbnb is trying to turn buildings zoned for residential living into commercial hotels, which is illegal.
Tenants who have landlord's permission to rent on Airbnb != All people who rent on Airbnb have landlord's permission.
And yes disruption is always when it happens to others, when it happens to you, it looks 'unfair'.
> I don't want random people in my building
Well, why not ? when wealthy white people "exploit" legal loopholes and government subsidies for personal financial gain, it's called capitalism.
It has happened in Queens already and I believe the tenants have been evicted. Such a foolish choice considering the money they would have saved over the years.
What do "white people" have to do with anything here?
Here's the thing... it's not your building.
I totally understand it being wrong to AirBnB a rental without the landlord's approval. But if the landlord is ok with it... they own the building, that's their call. If you don't like it, find a different apartment.
> If you don't like it, find a different apartment.
No, actually it's not. It's against the law to use a residential building as a short term occupancy hotel.
If you don't like it, find a different language. :P
Perhaps an example will put you at ease:
"Oh could you help me take these to my flat? I know they're heavy, but don't worry, my building has a lift!"
Substitute apartment and elevator if so inclined.
In high density areas, local governments have codified the value of "home" into law. NYC has housing laws that offer protection for people across the spectrum. From rent stabilization and eviction laws for the homes of those in lower income brackets, to Co-op and condo laws that protect the home of some of the wealthiest residents.
Tenants have rights. Landlords are not, and should not be, allowed to do whatever they want with their building.
Actually, it's very likely that a bank owns the building with a 30 year mortgage.
It is illegal in NYC to rent an apartment for less than 30 days and is enforced by many landlords. If Airbnb is trying to convince landlords to look the other way, I find that disgusting.
I don't want my building to be a hotel. I don't want random people in my building. The idea that landlords can rationalize steeply raising rents with the expectation that tenants will find the money by letting someone crash on their couch for a few days every month to make it up is dehumanizing.
Will this be exploited by the 20% of affordable housing units in these buildings paying well below market rates?