Justice
For Smaller Cities, the Airbnb Backlash Can Be Even Bigger
In communities that rely on a handful of special events each year, the sharing economy is complicated.
Kevin Flynn has worked in law enforcement for more than 20 years in Ashland, Oregon. Six months ago, though, he was recruited to crack down on an issue that's cropped up in not just his city but similarly sized communities nationwide: short-term home rentals.
The idea of residents turning over all or part of their dwellings to a temporary guest is far from new. But thanks to Airbnb and other Internet-based brokers like VRBO.com and HomeAway, this practice has spread like wildfire and turned into a burgeoning new industry. And in many smaller cities like Ashland, residents unused to such a high volume of tourist turnover are voicing major concerns about the arrangement.