Airbnb sponsorship of gay pride parade draws criticism from grand marshal
Source: Bay Area Reporter
Airbnb, the Internet-based lodging sharing company whose name is often associated with San Francisco's eviction controversy, has joined the city's LGBT Pride parade and celebration as a major sponsor. George Ridgely, executive director of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee, the group that organizes the event, said Airbnb has contributed $100,000.
... One of this year's grand marshals has criticized the move, though.
"Airbnb is problematic," said longtime housing advocate and queer activist Tommi Avicolli Mecca. "I think the biggest problem with (Airbnb) is landlords are using it in order to make a lot of money. They're emptying a lot of apartments" and instead of renting to regular tenants, "they're renting by night or by week" and "taking apartments off the market" that are "desperately" needed.
... Asked how much Airbnb could be faulted for the evictions, Avicolli Mecca said, "The company has to be living in a cave somewhere not to know what's going on in San Francisco."
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