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Airbnb removes NYC "VanLife" host after illegal vans removed from streets
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 4, 2021
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 4, 2021
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An unnamed person who was renting out seven vans parked on New York City streets on Airbnb has been kicked off the lodging platform.
The NY Post reported last month that the NYC Sheriff's Office seized the vans in what they called "Operation Room Service." The vans were in the East Village and Chelsea, and were spotted by a traffic agent who "noticed something sketchy about the vehicles... whose registration and NJ plates were long expired, some going as far back as 2000." Maybe the lockbox dangling off the back bumper of the van didn't help?
One of the listings advertised that one could experience "#VanLife in NYC" for under $100 a night, with one van sleeping up to three—but no bathroom.
A YouTuber, Uptin Saiidi, posted about his stay in one of the vans, noting that the host "Nancy" said this was a great way to jump on the #VanLife bandwagon as seen on Instagram. Showering at the YMCA or a Blink Fitness and using the bathroom at Starbucks or local bars was recommended, he said.
"I did open my window a bit to get some airflow, but when you open your window, you can hear every little bike that goes by, every person that walks by," Saiidi explained. He ultimately said, "it was a unique experience. I'm glad I did it, but I would never do it again."
Airbnb recently announced, "We do not tolerate this behavior, and Airbnb prohibits stays to be listed on public lands. Both the Host and listings in question have been banned from the Airbnb platform."
Tagged
east village
airbnb
Illegal hotel
manhattan
van
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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