Airbnb is destroying the world.

[Mary-and-Ben0]

I SO **bleep**ING HATE the way Airbnb has destroyed everywhere in the world with its generifying, gentrifying spyware, spawning a planet-wide malaise of boring apartments and cottages no longer available to artists and poor people, and a global citizenry of obnoxious bargain hunters who are now socially engineered to tattle.

[Santiago151]

If you don´t like it... Don´t use it!

Delete your listings...****

*[Content hidden in line with the Community Center Guidelines] 

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Mary-and-Ben0: You usually see these posts from randomites that come onto Airbnb to spew stuff, not from hosts that have two (2) property listings that seem to be doing well "gentrifiying" their own neighborhood.

[Mary-and-Ben0]

Clearly we're not "usual." and your presumption that we're gentrifying is hilarious -- tell that to the neighbors with the neatly trimmed lawns who fail to appreciate the ten-foot, rambling sunflowers and trellises overburdened with fruit in our urban homestead . . . but as noted below, apologies if you were personally offended by my comments.

[Paul154]

For all  of Airbnb's problems, I'm not sure where else you can charge $100+ for a bedroom in a freaky house.

Airbnb was celebrates your diversity, no one else will.

Best of luck

[Mark116]

If you hate airbnb and feel it is a net negative on the communities where it operates, why don't you de activate your own listing?

[Mary-and-Ben0]

Gosh Mark, are you trying to be helpful? ❤️ Our strategy so far has been to try and contribute in a way that doesn't add to the malaise, by offering an opportunity to stay in an urban homestead with working artists and gardeners, filled with unique treasures from all over the world, and to serve a population that needs something different - chemically and EMF safe. I've had several conversations recently with customer service folks who seemed genuinely interested in our concerns, so who knows, we're hopeful that with enough feedback, they'll be receptive to changing the business model to one less destructive to local cultures and communities.

[Lawrene0]

@Mary-and-Ben0, there is a disconnect between your profile/listings and this rant. Did someone get access to your computer? Looks like it. 

[Mary-and-Ben0]

Yeah, I was really frustrated when I wrote the original post. We've stayed in airbnb's all over the world and read quite a bit on how the corporation has affected communities everywhere by soaking up lower-income housing and reducing the character of cities to the lowest common denominator of what I term (as a designer) "Target chic -- cheap geometric rugs and a pillow with a bird on it." I'm speaking from multi-continental experience, from Berlin to Paris to London to Sweden, Boston to Berkeley to Boulder. On the other side, we offer a very unique property that has very little traffic for the reasons listed below -- I just gave this feedback to Airbnb:

"Airbnb is not matching us with the guests who are looking for what we offer. We've had to cancel 10 guests in a row because they did not read the description of the place and were not aware that we're offering premium lodging for chemically sensitive individuals, and they were not prepared to comply with our needs on their end (fragrance free etc.) On the flip, the guests who do (often direly) need us report they have not found us on Airbnb, but through other, difficult-to-use-and-rely-on means, like word-of-mouth and Facebook groups. Up to 20 percent of travelers will choose a fragrance-free, eco- and chemically-conscious lodging as their first choice. This is a huge market segment. I am aware that many people have asked you to bring back your search terms feature as this was very helpful to people looking for chemically-sensitive and eco-conscious lodging. another option would be to add a check box for hosts , 'Chemically sensitive, eco-conscious' or the like which would allow the guest to only view properties that are suitable for them.

In addition, we are preparing our home to be an EMF Sanctuary which will offer a low/safe EMF environment for the increasing numbers of us who are terribly EMF sensitive."

Please let me know if you want to find out more information about our efforts in this regard. Love to all fellow lovers of Earth -- and apologies to anyone who took personal offense to the criticism offered in this post.

[John1080]

"...boring apartments and cottages no longer available to artists and poor people."

Yep, sounds like Boulder, which is/was doing pretty well in the gentrification department without AirBnb.

[Mary-and-Ben0]

We're not in Boulder. We're in the barrio, actually, and we love it!

[John1080]

@Mary-and-Ben0, yep Longmont is more real and down to earth not to mention more affordable. Not pleasant to need $700k to buy a bungalow which needs to be renovated.  I hate that Boulder has driven out most of the artists and hippies in exchange for the tech bros and yuppies.

[Mary-and-Ben0]

We went to a local artists gathering last year for "Boulder County" and almost single artist there either just  moved to Longmont from Boulder, or was planning to. There are lots of $700K houses here, too, but we're in the lower priced barrio, which is full of the most interesting and creative people. Just trying to find a way to share our little corner of the world with people who need what we're offering . . .

[John1080]

Longmont (and Nederland) have gained at what Boulder has lost. At least in Longmont, there is still a winder range of incomes, house prices and classes. They have also done some great things with downtown. 

[Mary-and-Ben0]

@John1080yes, we love the true sense of community here. We've yet to get out to your area but keep hearing that it's heaven --