A majority of New York City residents says they should be allowed to rent out rooms in their homes, according to a new poll — which wasn’t paid for by controversial room-sharing Web site Airbnb.
More than half of respondents — 56 percent — were in favor of having city dwellers get paid by strangers to stay “a few days at a time . . . similar to a hotel,” while 36 percent said the practice should be banned, Quinnipiac University reported Tuesday.
Support was strongest among the young — including 64 percent of people between 18 and 29 — and those living in Manhattan, where 61 percent endorsed the idea.
The greatest opposition came in The Bronx and Staten Island, where 50 percent and 49 percent, respectively, gave room rentals a thumbs-down.
State law currently bans any sublets shorter than 30 days when the primary tenant isn’t home, and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating a slew of suspected violations committed through Airbnb. A Schneiderman spokesman declined to comment on the poll.
Airbnb, however, happily released a statement.
“This poll confirms what we’ve known for some time: The majority of New Yorkers support home sharing and believe they should be able to share the home in which they live,”
Airbnb exec David Hantman wrote on the company’s Web site. “We look forward to continuing to educate even more people about the Airbnb community in New York and how Airbnb hosts and guests make this amazing city an even better place.”
State Sen. Liz Krueger, an outspoken opponent of Airbnb, called the poll question “misleading” because city residents are already allowed to rent out rooms to strangers as long as they’re home.