Detroit Quietly Bans Airbnb (curbed.com)

A new zoning ordinance that quietly went into effect this week has residents trying to figure out what comes next for Airbnb's presence in Detroit. Many hosts have received notices that the city has outlawed Airbnb for R1 and R2 zoning. Curbed Detroit reports: The new zoning ordinance apparently went through the Planning Commission and City Council in 2017, and went into effect this week. The text added to the amendment states: "Use of a dwelling to accommodate paid overnight guests is prohibited as a home occupation; notwithstanding this regulation, public accommodations, including bed and breakfast inns outside the R1 and R2 Districts, are permitted as provided in Sec. 61-12-46 of this Code." The vast majority of Airbnb units in Detroit are in R1 and R2 districts. These do not include places like lofts, apartments, or larger developments. Airbnb has issued a statement saying: "We're very disappointed by this turn of events. Airbnb has served as an economic engine for middle class Detroiters, many of whom rely on the supplemental income to stay in their homes. We hope that the city listens to our host community and permits home sharing in these residential zones."

Comments

Re:Whence comes this authority?

[BlueStrat]

Where does the city get the authority to tell people that they are not allowed to rent out their homes?

According to the American theory of governance, a government only has authorities that are delegated to it by The People. Well, nobody in Detroit ever had the authority to dictate whether a private individual could rent out his home, so there's no way that anybody was ever able to delegate to the city such an authority.

Whence comes this authority, I ask. WHENCE?!

"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun" -- Mao Zedong

The reality is that they can do anything they damned well please until and unless someone with more guns either convinces them to, or makes them through force, stop. It sucks and puts people in general in a position with no really "good" choices, but there it is.

It's bad enough when those in power are generally relatively indifferent, but when they become more aggressively authoritarian, then the really bad shit starts. I think we're at the beginning of, or nearly so, of the second stage...if not already well on our way.

I don't have any answers, all I can advise is to be certain of your principles by doing your own homework and not blowing it off or taking other people's opinions as your own, and stick to those principles *especially* when doing so may be really hard or unpopular to do.

Strat

Re:Dil

[Pfhorrest]

If you own property to rent out, you are not poor.

Re:Not so sure about this

[Pfhorrest]

The exact same thing is true of rent in general. Which isn't an argument for AirBnB, it's an argument against rent in general.