The Daily Valet. - 9/7/23, Thursday
✔️ Here Comes the Crackdown
Thursday, September 7th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … hotels are better than staying at an Airbnb.
Today’s Big Story
The Airbnb Crackdown Is Starting
Thousands of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals disappear as New York begins enforcing tight restrictions
Going, going, gone? Thousands of Airbnbs and short-term rentals are about to be wiped off the map in New York City, as officials are expected to start enforcing strict new regulations that limit residents' ability to rent out homes through such home-sharing platforms.According to the New York Times, it's the latest and potentially most consequential development in the yearslong feud between big cities and popular short-term rental companies like Airbnb and Vrbo. The city argues that the proliferation of short-term rentals through Airbnb and other platforms has pushed up rents and helped fuel New York's current housing shortage.But Airbnb is saying that the new rules amount to a “de facto ban” on the platform, and other critics say the city is bending to the lobbying of the hotel industry and locking out cheaper options for visitors. Over 66 million visitors a year use the apps to book accommodations in New York. In 2022 alone, short-term rental listings made $85 million in New York. The city might be a relatively small slice of Airbnb's global market, but the new rules show how local governments can effectively stamp out short-term rentals overnight and lessen their impact on dense residential areas. And New York is just one of many cities around the world trying to calm the short-term rental gold rush.WIRED reports that each city seems to be taking a different approach. Dallas has limited short-term rentals to specific neighborhoods to avoid disruptive and dangerous parties. Elsewhere, the Canadian province of Quebec and Memphis, Tennessee, among others, now require licenses for short-term rentals. In San Francisco, the amount of time someone can list their entire residence for rent on Airbnb is limited to 90 days each year; Amsterdam puts that limit at 30 nights per year, Paris at 120 days. Berlin previously banned nearly all Airbnbs, but walked the decision back in 2018.Airbnb's attempts to fight back against the new law have, to date, been unsuccessful. The company sued New York City in June, but a judge dismissed the case in August, ruling that the restrictions were “entirely rational.” It should suprise absolutely no one that many short-term rentals bring noise and trash, not to mention property damage and danger. Often, they can price local residents out of their own neighborhoods. There are prolific landlords in New York with hundreds of Airbnb listings. But others are simply people who list their place when they go out of town or when they need to make ends meet or help cover their mortgage costs. Now, this clever idea that was once “the most successful example of the sharing economy” has become a victim of its own success.
Dig Deeper:
In a marathon seven-hour public meeting in January, hundreds of Airbnb hosts protested the new regulations and accused the Office of Special Enforcement of abandoning them.
Is India About to Change Its Name?
Why a G20 invite calling India by its Sanskrit name is ruffling some feathers
The streets of India's capital were rife with speculation Wednesday that the government might be about to scrap the use of the country's English name. A state-issued invite to a dinner reception (for world leaders during next weekend's G20 summit) replaced “India” with the Sanskrit word, “Bharat”. The nation of more than 1.4 billion people is officially known by the two names, but the former is most commonly used—both domestically and internationally.Bharat, also the Hindi word for India, is often used interchangeably. For instance, both are used on Indian passports and in the country's constitution. But its use on the invites marks a notable change in the naming convention used by the country on the international stage under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.The move reflects the party's efforts to eliminate what it sees as colonial-era names. They argue that the name India was introduced by British colonials and is a “symbol of slavery.” (The British ruled India for about 200 years until the country gained independence in 1947.) Supporters say the name will help move past a colonial mentality. However, until there's an official change, many are wondering what a person from the country should be referred to in English, as in Hindi citizens are often called “Bharati” or “Bharatiyan”.
Meanwhile:
Former India cricket star Virender Sehwag urged the sport’s officials to use Bharat on players’ shirts during the Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be held in India this year.
Women at Work
The gap between men and women in the workplace is at a record low
Women are closing in on men in the workplace. Half of the country's workers are now women. For decades, a far higher share of men worked than women. Now that gender gap is the narrowest it's ever been, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.According to Axios, women's return to work from the pandemic has been faster than men's. A big part of this is the rise of remote and flexible work, which has enabled a record number of women with young children to enter or remain in the workforce.“By our estimates, the expansion of remote work allowed about a million women in their 30s and 40s to remain in the workforce at an age when prior generations may have stopped working for family and child-care responsibilities,” Aaron Terrazas, Glassdoor's chief economist, told Insider, adding that college-educated women, in particular, seem to have benefited the most.
Dig Deeper:
Women may be gaining on men in the workplace, but the highest college graduate incomes land in a familiar spot, gender-wise.
Meet the Baby G-Wagon
Mercedes-Benz is finally getting a smaller, more affordable electric model of its famous G-Wagon
Mercedes-Benz will finally launch a baby G-Wagon within the “next few years,” expanding the scope of its legendary off-roader into a new market segment. Gear Patrol sums it up as Mercedes giving the rugged SUV “the Ford Bronco treatment,” branching the G out into an AMG-like sub-brand with multiple vehicles. And the first will be a compact crossover version.Details are still few and far between, but Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius confirmed to Bloomberg that there is a “Little G” on the way, “a son or daughter of the iconic Big G.” German outlet Handlesblatt suggests it will be an all-electric vehicle only, offering more than 300 miles of range. Autocar says that Mercedes would likely offer a combustion version in some markets.Sadly, we still have a long while to wait before getting behind the wheel of this diminutive wonder. Engadget reports that the vehicle's powertrain is likely based on the forthcoming MB.EA platform, a proprietary battery technology Mercedes is developing. This platform isn't likely to show up in vehicles until 2025, which places the release of the smaller, cheaper G-Class EV in 2026 at the earliest.
FYI:
Mercedes is reportedly making its compact, entry-level vehicles more expensive (starting at around $40,000).
In Other News
The shots could become available next week, after the CDC also signs off.
Mexico’s Supreme Court Decriminalized Abortion Nationwide, Two Years After Ruling That It Was Not a Crime in One Northern State
Have you heard about ...
Build a Fragrance Library
Beware of “nose blindness” and branch out
There’s nothing particularly wrong with having a go-to cologne. After all, the heart (and the nose) wants what it wants, right? And there's something to be said for having a signature scent. One that you can rely on or that people associate with you.But then again, there is a phenomenon known as “nose blindness,” a temporary, naturally occurring adaptation of your body that leads to an inability to detect or distinguish common scents in your surroundings. Which is why it's smart to build a fragrance wardrobe. Like your closet full of clothes, this collection of colognes can be pulled from depending on your mood, your planned destination or simply the day's weather forecast.
Get Started:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
A Vintage-Inspired Sweatshirt
Get 'em while you can. If you scored one of A&F's “essential crew” sweatshirts when they introduced them earlier this year, you lucked out. Because the vintage-inspired sweats—with a relaxed fit, substantial ribbed collar and slight drop-shoulder—sold out almost immediately. Cut from a proprietary fabric and treated with a wash to add extra softness, these look like the kind of shirts that cost 10 times as much. And they're now available in half a dozen shades, so take your pick.
Get It:
Essential crew sweatshirt, $60 / $51 by Abercrombie & Fitch
Morning Motto
Take some risks.
▾
Follow:
Share today’s motto:
