Tag Archives: AirBnB

Anti-Israel boycott law amended

For whatever this is worth. Gov. Greg Abbott this week signed a bill into law that limits the scope of a controversial anti-Israel boycott law, just weeks after a federal judge temporarily blocked its enforcement in an ongoing First Amendment … Continue reading

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Texas versus AirBnB update

From last week: The Texas Comptroller’s office said Tuesday it’s reviewing the inclusion of Airbnb on a list of companies that boycott Israel and are banned from doing business with the state after the company announced a change to its … Continue reading

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Texas versus AirBnB

This is one to watch. Texas is adding short-term-rental site Airbnb to a list of companies that cannot receive state investments because it disallows Israeli-owned rentals in the disputed West Bank. Airbnb is the only American-based company on Texas’ anti-Israel … Continue reading

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Rural counties and AirBnB

It’s working well for them. Texans running Airbnb rentals in rural counties earned $20.6 million in supplemental income in the last 12 months with 169,000 guests, according to a new report from the hospitality company. These results represent a growth … Continue reading

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AirBnB bill fails to pass

One minor surprise from this now-ended legislative session. A conference committee Saturday voted to strip an amendment that would have blocked cities from regulating short-term rentals like Airbnb, all but killing the measure with less than two days left in … Continue reading

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Senate passes AirBnB bill

As you know, I don’t care for this. A Senate bill that would limit local government control of short-term home rentals in Texas passed out of the upper chamber Tuesday in a 21-9 vote. Under Senate Bill 451 by state … Continue reading

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AirBnB tax collection deal

Seems reasonable. [AirBnB] announced Wednesday it will begin collecting and remitting the 6 percent state hotel occupancy tax May 1. The decision followed more than a year of talks, said Laura Spanjian, Airbnb’s Texas public policy manager. Airbnb has similar … Continue reading

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Restricting restrictions on AirBnB

I have issues with this. A legislative proposal that would limit local government control of short-term home rentals in Texas has reawakened a fight over regulations that has already played out in cities across the state. Senate Bill 451 by … Continue reading

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Your Super Bowl AirBnB dream probably did not come true

Alas. Vacation rental websites like Airbnb and Home Away still have pages of listings available for this weekend. Many are asking well over $1,000 per night for, in some cases, run-of-the-mill two-bedroom apartments. Data from Airbnb Thursday show the typical … Continue reading

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Now is the time to rent out your house

If it was your plan to do that, anyway. The teams playing in next month’s Super Bowl [are now set] and the final rush for last-minute lodging will be in full swing. That also means more house and apartment rentals … Continue reading

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Who wants to rent their house out to Super Bowl visitors?

I don’t, but some people hope to make a lot of money renting theirs. With the Super Bowl heading to Houston next month, locals are starting to see dollar signs as well, hoping to cash in on visitors’ willingness to … Continue reading

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Lawsuit filed in Austin over short-term rental ordinance

Geez. The gig economy — specifically, the short-term rental industry that includes HomeAway, Airbnb, and VRBO — is under attack by the city of Austin, Texas, according to a lawsuit filed in state court June 20, which was sponsored by … Continue reading

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Another look at AirBnB

Interesting. The hotel industry is starting to object. On Wednesday, a report funded by a national trade group claimed some Airbnb hosts function illegally and operate essentially as full-time hotels without the same health and safety oversight. It also says … Continue reading

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AirBnB in Texas

The Rivard Report offers a useful overview of this growing service. With success comes regulation and Airbnb, the wildly popular “sharing economy” website that allows users to rent out portions of their home to adventuresome travelers, has had more than … Continue reading

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AirBnB in Houston

When people talk about “the sharing economy” for good or ill, the main players that get named tend to be Uber, Lyft, and AirBnB. We’ve heard a lot about the first two in Houston lately, but prior to this Chron … Continue reading

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