[tsimionescu]

This is all economy 101, rational preference BS. The reality is that suppliers very often collude to increase prices universally (particularly for things like housing, where there is almsot a natural monopoly - you can't bring in more land to the same city), and buyers have no way of knowing or acting on this. Airbnb is perfect for organizing such collusion, acting as a virtual cartel.

[fsckboy]

econ 101 actually explains collusion as you are describing, but you need evidence to show perfect collusion of all participants to make the point you are trying to make. the average person in LA probably knows friends who rent out spaces and would tell you that their friends are not part of a cartel

but the real estate shortage and natural monopoly you allege (it's not true as I already pointed out) would explain the post fire short term situation, so you don't need to grasp for conspiracy theories.

as i said already, airbnb's potential to manipulate RE prices is a problem to be concerned about in normal times. When a fire burns down much of the city, prices go up because there is an actual shortage, not price manipulation.

time for you to hit the books again.