Yes I am aware that multiple dwelling units are three and above, which mine is NOT , it is only two units, a two family home, so I am still confused about the legality of short term rentals in the second unit since i received a summons yesterday
What does the summons say, and what are the violations, specifically, that you recevied?
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one says that is is illegally converted/used as a transient unit, but it refers to it as class A (which if I understand as a two family with only 2 units, it is not a class A?) The other three say failure to provide an exit sign, a sprinkler system, and faire alarms , however they never even entered to see if any of that is true.
And do you supply those things?
One family homes are Class A residences:
https://www.propertyshark.com/info/class-buildings-one-family-dwellings/#a5
Two family homes are class B residences:
https://www.propertyshark.com/info/class-b-buildings-two-family-dwellings/#b1
The other three are the typical “violations” that are given as if you are, literally, a full-sized, working hotel.
Please do get in touch with the HSAA as soon as possible.
I will send you the information on other resources via Private Message once I gather it up.
Even just the “fire alarm system” they “require” is a commercial system that costs in excess of $50,000, as needed for full-sized, multi-floor hotels. A fire system to that extent is absolute overkill for an attached, single residence.
So they are using an atomic bomb to kill a mouse.
But if that is what the new rules are, this is the method they are using to close down what is now considered illegal activity. I have no idea how you would fight it, but all I can see are huge legal fees.
Assume it is the hotel industry is researching/figuring out airbnb addresses and filing complaints?
You are correct! It is the NYC Department of Buildings, with 100% indirect funding by the hotel lobby.
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Thank you so much , i really appreciate your help and guidance
@ajna
Where in NYC are you located?
There is such a thing as a class a multiple dwelling.
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/overview-airbnb-law-new-york-city.html
We used to [legally] “fly under the radar” before the advent of Airbnb, using other sites. Backlash? Nil. Our city banned short-term rentals in the summer of 2015, as a direct response to [the success of] airbnb, though STRs had been around for decades before. In fact, our city was a tourist destination for nearly a century before the regulations were put into place; which came only after an extremely contentious smear campaign…funded entirely by the hotel industry. The Hotel Industry even created “dummy ORGs” that looked deceptively like legitimate NIMBY groups, but were entirely funded and run, by hotels and their executives and employees.
Since the Hotel Industry is behind all of these aggressively salacious advertising campaigns and “studies,” their conclusions and findings are dubious, at best.
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@LetsShareThoughts, I totally agree about their dubious findings. In my example, I made it clear that even with their “potentially” faulty research, the impact is absolutely minimal.
If the Airbnb NYC market falls (their biggest market), I suspect we’ll see a domino effect in many markets, here in the U.S. and around the world.
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Have you had a look at what happened in London @bigappledude? One of the fastest growing Airbnb markets.
A lot of people were saying it was the end of STR and that the restrictions were unworkable when they were introduced, but a year or so on, Airbnb market has increased in the Capital.
@Helsi, capping STRs to 90 days/year is significantly different from barring them entirely under 30 days. They are completely different scenarios.
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Wow I didn’t know whole listings could only let for a minimum of 30 days in NY.
In London it’s not all STRs that are capped to 90 by the way, just whole listings.
Yes, that is what us hosts in New York are dealing with.
And thanks for clarifying that only whole house listings are the only ones affected by the 90 day London law…!
hello catskillsgrrl i need some legal advice/help. i am being evicted , who can i turn to to help me during the process, so that i can avoid hefty fines? do i have any rights? i need a lawyer who specializes in housing and tenant laws.thank you
hello marty,
can you help me find out what i should do , an inspector demanded my guest open the door and they didnt find me at home but they questioned the guests and they gave them all info, and now the building managment called me and asked me if i was renting out my apt. i told them no, and they said well you will have to go to court then;.
if i came clean would i avoid some fines? can i finda way to convince my landlord to let me stay in my home? i dont want to lose it and now i am worried about what the fines will be. thank you for any adivce you can give.
Hello Marycloud,
We know you are upset but can you provide a few details? Where in nyc are you, what kind of building ( ie: condo coop rent stabilized free market or luxury). Does your lease allow sub letting?
Where was the inspector from?
What kind of Airbnb rental do you offer?