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New York Subpoenas Airbnb

troubled vacancy

In attempt to get host records.

The neighborly home-sharing site Airbnb is engaged in what could be a lengthy battle with New York. Attorney-General Eric Shneiderman subpoenaed the company in an attempt to get the identites of all 225,000 in-state hosts, and Airbnb announced its intention to fight the request. Recently, the site came into trouble for violating New York City's occupancy rules which include a tax for hotels. Despite winning the lawsuit, it announced NYC guests would pay tax of $2 per day and 5.875 percent of rent. The next hurdle: half of Airbnb's listings in the city violate a law against renting out an entire apartment without an owner present.

Read it at Quartz