A lifelong New Yorker and resident of Fort Greene for 15 years, I care deeply about our city. About three years ago, I became an Airbnb host, renting our garden apartment for short-term stays.
It has allowed us to keep our own housing “affordable,” and helped us share the magic of our neighborhood with guests who might never leave Manhattan (or never make it to the city) if their only choice was a hotel.
Hospitality is in my genes. I love meeting new people and providing a beautiful place for visitors. I am also proud of my neighborhood and enjoy sharing it with people from out of town.
I want state legislators to know that Airbnb hosts like myself support clear rules governing what we do. We represent a new economy — one that brings us income by renting part of our home, but also generates revenue for our community. (I pay taxes on the income we earn.)
My husband lost his job in 2012. Renting our garden apartment on Airbnb helps us pay the bills. It has become part of our financial stability. We own our home and work hard to maintain the 1865 building, situated in a landmarked district.
Since launching our short-term rental, we’ve hosted visitors from China, Sweden, Germany, Italy, England, France, Denmark, Holland, Spain, Finland and more than 20 US states.
Every single visitor spends money in our local shops and restaurants. They rave about Fort Greene and Brooklyn, excited to have discovered an authentic neighborhood that makes them feel like natives for the few days they live here.
Tourism is a huge part of New York’s economy. By hosting guests in Fort Greene, we draw people away from typical destinations like Times Square and Central Park, to the less-known jewels such as the Brooklyn Flea, Brownstone Brooklyn and Prospect Park. Visitors see and participate in the community. They return home and tell their friends about it.
I feel part of a virtuous circle, one that engages in cross-cultural exchange by talking with tourists from around the world, and one that shares the vibrant, diverse city that makes New York so unique.
Read the reviews on our Airbnb rental listing: all 37 of them attest to how much our guests appreciate the experience. They get personal attention (homemade granola!), insider tips on the best neighborhood bars and grocers and advice for how to navigate the subways.
I urge policymakers to support Airbnb hosts like myself by passing legislation that establishes reasonable rules for vacation rentals. We want to continue doing the good work we do. We need the supplemental income. We believe there is room in New York for chain hotels and tiny mom-and-pop operations such as ours, neither at the expense of the other.