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December , 2019
Dear @RepBonnie @RepBarbaraLee @RepRobinKelly @GKButterfield @RepCleaver @RepYvetteClarke @SenMarkey @SenBlumenthal:
I live four houses away from the Airbnb shooting in Orinda. I want to thank you for requesting a meeting with @BChesky to press for details
December , 2019
Dear @RepBonnie @RepBarbaraLee @RepRobinKelly @GKButterfield @RepCleaver @RepYvetteClarke @SenMarkey @SenBlumenthal:
I live four houses away from the Airbnb shooting in Orinda. I want to thank you for requesting a meeting with @BChesky to press for details
2/28
on the new security measures he has outlined in response to recent scandals. The preventable loss of life in our neighborhood haunts us. Details of the Airbnb deaths have not been as widely publicized in the national media as the Airbnb scams, so I am
vice.com/en_us/article/…
on the new security measures he has outlined in response to recent scandals. The preventable loss of life in our neighborhood haunts us. Details of the Airbnb deaths have not been as widely publicized in the national media as the Airbnb scams, so I am
vice.com/en_us/article/…
3/28
sharing a few of them with you directly, along with some key questions that I think should be asked of @BChesky:
1. The “host” in our neighborhood owns eleven other properties in Contra Costa County,
lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1…
sharing a few of them with you directly, along with some key questions that I think should be asked of @BChesky:
1. The “host” in our neighborhood owns eleven other properties in Contra Costa County,
lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1…
4/28
and the mortgage for 114 Lucille is in a business name. “Hosts” do not have to use their legal or even full names, so there is no way for us to look up whether they are still operating other listings on @Airbnb.
and the mortgage for 114 Lucille is in a business name. “Hosts” do not have to use their legal or even full names, so there is no way for us to look up whether they are still operating other listings on @Airbnb.
5/28
2. This “host” posted the listing in violation of the town’s “no events” policy for STR's by advertising it as “great for parties” and profiting from an $800 surcharge. Despite filing our complaint in February with both the city and @Airbnb, mercurynews.com/2019/11/13/ori…
2. This “host” posted the listing in violation of the town’s “no events” policy for STR's by advertising it as “great for parties” and profiting from an $800 surcharge. Despite filing our complaint in February with both the city and @Airbnb, mercurynews.com/2019/11/13/ori…
6/28
we received no response from @Airbnb. Were any reviews reinforcing the listing’s reputation as a great “party house” ever removed?
2a. @Airbnb buried their old hotline number paragraphs deep in a FAQ for hosts.
fortune.com/2015/11/02/air…
we received no response from @Airbnb. Were any reviews reinforcing the listing’s reputation as a great “party house” ever removed?
2a. @Airbnb buried their old hotline number paragraphs deep in a FAQ for hosts.
fortune.com/2015/11/02/air…
7/28
How will the public know whether complaints to Airbnb’s new “neighbor hotline” and “Rapid Response Teams” are being resolved? Will Airbnb submit to independent third-party audits?
How will the public know whether complaints to Airbnb’s new “neighbor hotline” and “Rapid Response Teams” are being resolved? Will Airbnb submit to independent third-party audits?
8/28
3. In addition to filing a formal complaint against this property, several neighbors called the “hosts” hours before the shooting asking them to intervene in a situation that was clearly not a family reunion. Police did not receive a call from the “hosts” until after shots
3. In addition to filing a formal complaint against this property, several neighbors called the “hosts” hours before the shooting asking them to intervene in a situation that was clearly not a family reunion. Police did not receive a call from the “hosts” until after shots
9/28
were fired. Airbnb has not made any statements to the effect this “host” will be banned from their platform.
3a. How can @Airbnb allow negligent hosts to continue listing on their platform and claim to be meeting the standard of “due care”?
were fired. Airbnb has not made any statements to the effect this “host” will be banned from their platform.
3a. How can @Airbnb allow negligent hosts to continue listing on their platform and claim to be meeting the standard of “due care”?
10/28
3b. What percent of neighbor complaints are resolved by banning the “host”?
4. The renters of this property were not typical guests looking for a place to party. They were associated with a local record label following a business model that exploits vulnerabilities in
3b. What percent of neighbor complaints are resolved by banning the “host”?
4. The renters of this property were not typical guests looking for a place to party. They were associated with a local record label following a business model that exploits vulnerabilities in
11/28
@Airbnb’s platform to secure venues for roving night clubs. They cultivate fake logins, which they trade on Twitter, book homes with maxed-out credit cards, promote events on social media, and collect a cover charge at the door. There were at least two other such parties
@Airbnb’s platform to secure venues for roving night clubs. They cultivate fake logins, which they trade on Twitter, book homes with maxed-out credit cards, promote events on social media, and collect a cover charge at the door. There were at least two other such parties
12/28
the same weekend in the Bay Area, and comments on @bchesky’s Twitter feed indicate they are occurring in other cities as well.
4a. How much has Airbnb profited from facilitating illegal night clubs?
abc7news.com/exclusive-airb…
the same weekend in the Bay Area, and comments on @bchesky’s Twitter feed indicate they are occurring in other cities as well.
4a. How much has Airbnb profited from facilitating illegal night clubs?
abc7news.com/exclusive-airb…
13/28
4b. Despite statements to the contrary, no one in our neighborhood has been contacted by @Airbnb regarding damage or losses. How do they plan to compensate neighboring property owners and cities who are harassed by illegal events in their neighborhoods?
4b. Despite statements to the contrary, no one in our neighborhood has been contacted by @Airbnb regarding damage or losses. How do they plan to compensate neighboring property owners and cities who are harassed by illegal events in their neighborhoods?
14/28
5. Sex traffickers and drug dealers prefer @Airbnb as a venue because of the same lax verification policies hosts enjoy: no government ID required, no birth date required illicit-trade.com/2019/10/airbnb…
5. Sex traffickers and drug dealers prefer @Airbnb as a venue because of the same lax verification policies hosts enjoy: no government ID required, no birth date required illicit-trade.com/2019/10/airbnb…
15/28
(though their own FAQ acknowledges they cannot complete a full background check without one), the ability to alter one’s name and photo after creating an account,
(though their own FAQ acknowledges they cannot complete a full background check without one), the ability to alter one’s name and photo after creating an account,
16/28
and the privacy protection of an online platform that is not required to give law enforcement the same information required of hotels.
5a. Will Airbnb require a valid government ID of all guests and hosts?
thenewsminute.com/article/modern…
and the privacy protection of an online platform that is not required to give law enforcement the same information required of hotels.
5a. Will Airbnb require a valid government ID of all guests and hosts?
thenewsminute.com/article/modern…
17/28
5b.Will they immediately forward a copy of the ID to all law enforcement agencies who request it through their portal?
5c. Will host and guest profiles using fake names continue to show as “verified”?
sfchronicle.com/business/artic…
5b.Will they immediately forward a copy of the ID to all law enforcement agencies who request it through their portal?
5c. Will host and guest profiles using fake names continue to show as “verified”?
sfchronicle.com/business/artic…
18/28
6. Two full years prior to this tragedy, gang-related shooting broke out at a party at an unhosted listing in San Francisco. Like the Orinda tragedy, neighbors made numerous calls to the police, but they did not arrive in time because kron4.com/news/video-ill…
6. Two full years prior to this tragedy, gang-related shooting broke out at a party at an unhosted listing in San Francisco. Like the Orinda tragedy, neighbors made numerous calls to the police, but they did not arrive in time because kron4.com/news/video-ill…
19/28
the calls were lower priority “noise complaints”. What changes to its platform did @Airbnb make in response to that incident?
7. @SFChronicle recently reported 42 other people have been shot at Airbnb parties since May, 2019, sfchronicle.com/crime/article/…
the calls were lower priority “noise complaints”. What changes to its platform did @Airbnb make in response to that incident?
7. @SFChronicle recently reported 42 other people have been shot at Airbnb parties since May, 2019, sfchronicle.com/crime/article/…
20/28
in addition to 10 in Orinda, for a total of 52. Two weeks ago a 16-year old boy was shot at a STR in Plano. There is a perception that since Airbnb properties are homes in safe neighborhoods, they are as safe as similarly priced hotel rooms.
wfaa.com/article/news/c…
in addition to 10 in Orinda, for a total of 52. Two weeks ago a 16-year old boy was shot at a STR in Plano. There is a perception that since Airbnb properties are homes in safe neighborhoods, they are as safe as similarly priced hotel rooms.
wfaa.com/article/news/c…
21/28
7a. How can Airbnb verify that unhosted listings are as safe for guests and neighbors as hotels with secure entrances, cameras, lights, and guards?
7b. After each fatal shooting Airbnb claimed to be
“urgently investigating” the incident. What, if anything, did they learn?
7a. How can Airbnb verify that unhosted listings are as safe for guests and neighbors as hotels with secure entrances, cameras, lights, and guards?
7b. After each fatal shooting Airbnb claimed to be
“urgently investigating” the incident. What, if anything, did they learn?
22/28
8. Oakland has a 1-week minimum stay ordinance, yet Airbnb accepts reservations in Oakland for less than one week. How can they say they are cooperating with cities when they refuse to enforce something as simple as minimum stay regulations?www2.oaklandnet.com/government/o/P…
8. Oakland has a 1-week minimum stay ordinance, yet Airbnb accepts reservations in Oakland for less than one week. How can they say they are cooperating with cities when they refuse to enforce something as simple as minimum stay regulations?www2.oaklandnet.com/government/o/P…
23/28
9. In cities that have banned non-hosted listings, LLC’s have simply set the min. stay to 31 days to skirt STR restrictions. A study by McGill University questioned whether any Airbnb listings in SF had been returned to the long-term rental market. sharebetter.org/wp-content/upl…
9. In cities that have banned non-hosted listings, LLC’s have simply set the min. stay to 31 days to skirt STR restrictions. A study by McGill University questioned whether any Airbnb listings in SF had been returned to the long-term rental market. sharebetter.org/wp-content/upl…
24/28
Some have lowered the nightly rate so they still make the same amount each month, even if guests only stay a week. Others have set up twelve beds in a two-bedroom house (without any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors) and rent them out as monthly airbnb.com/rooms/14149592…
Some have lowered the nightly rate so they still make the same amount each month, even if guests only stay a week. Others have set up twelve beds in a two-bedroom house (without any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors) and rent them out as monthly airbnb.com/rooms/14149592…
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“hostels” in violation of zoning regulations.
9a. How will Airbnb verify the compliance of 30-day+ listings?
library.municode.com/ca/los_angeles…
“hostels” in violation of zoning regulations.
9a. How will Airbnb verify the compliance of 30-day+ listings?
library.municode.com/ca/los_angeles…
26/28
9b. Shouldn’t the SEC require them to disclose to investors what portion of their revenue is at risk from violating existing and pending regulations?
news.crunchbase.com/news/how-to-re…
9b. Shouldn’t the SEC require them to disclose to investors what portion of their revenue is at risk from violating existing and pending regulations?
news.crunchbase.com/news/how-to-re…
27/28
@Airbnb has deficit spent $400M this year on their IPO. They know they should require photo ID’s. They know they should ban unhosted “party houses.” They know they should enforce local regulations. They can’t afford to theinformation.com/articles/airbn…
@Airbnb has deficit spent $400M this year on their IPO. They know they should require photo ID’s. They know they should ban unhosted “party houses.” They know they should enforce local regulations. They can’t afford to theinformation.com/articles/airbn…
28/28
if they want to be profitable for their IPO. My biggest concern is that without pressure from elected representatives, nothing will be done.
Sincerely,
Christine Chalmers
CC: @RepDeSaulnier
if they want to be profitable for their IPO. My biggest concern is that without pressure from elected representatives, nothing will be done.
Sincerely,
Christine Chalmers
CC: @RepDeSaulnier
