[MrMetlHed]

In some places rental prices are increased even more because properties that would be rented otherwise are now just AirBNBs.

Just look at this map of registered short-term rentals in Scottsdale, AZ: https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/maps/registered-rentals. I know it's a vacation destination, especially in the winter, but I'm sure something like this is going on everywhere rents are skyrocketing. And guess what, the short-term rental lobby got the state legislature in Arizona to pass a law that cities and counties couldn't restrict short-term rentals to a greater degree than the state does.

I still think the best solution (that'll never, ever happen) is something like an exponential property tax increase for additional properties you own over 2 or so. After you own a few properties that's a cost that can't simply be passed on, so it locks out giant investors and local monopolies.

[colinmhayes]

There's nothing wrong with airbnbs. The problem is that airbnbs increase the demand for housing while local governments make it impossible to build new housing. Let supply follow demand.

This is like saying "uber increased dmeand for cars and that made cars expensive". No, the car companies just built more cars. We need to build more homes.

[MrMetlHed]

I mean sure. But land is limited. If you really want to build more homes you're going to have to bulldoze entire neighborhoods of single-family homes in places like Phoenix. Which is fine with me, I prefer a denser place, but I'm guessing that'd be a non-starter. And many places have sprawled so far that unless we densify it's not really all that helpful to keep carving out desert or farmland depending on where you live.

So I think there is a problem with AirBNBs. Even discounting quality of life issues that they can create for people actually living near them, they take a valuable resource for locals and turn them into pure investment plays that stay empty long stretches of time. Death to Nimbys generally, but I think you could get them on the same page as housing advocates if you went after short-term rentals.