Airbnb – the cause of the housing crisis in France

Hiện nay, Airbnb có hơn một triệu tin rao tại Pháp, tăng 60% so với năm 2018

Airbnb now has more than one million listings in France, a 60% increase compared to 2018.

Once hailed as a symbol of the “sharing economy ”, the online home rental platform Airbnb is becoming one of the main causes of the worsening housing crisis in France. Not only has the short-term tourist rental market exploded, the American company has also contributed to turning a series of official houses into temporary rental properties.

The difficulty of finding affordable housing is currently the top concern of the French people, stemming from many causes: lack of land for construction, lack of social housing, rents and house prices rising faster than incomes, complicated procedures, many apartments are vacant. But according to a series of recent investigations, the withdrawal of hundreds of thousands of apartments from the long-term market to serve short-term tourist rentals through platforms such as Airbnb has exacerbated this crisis.

In Greater Paris, about 30% of apartments listed on Airbnb are for short-term stays only, leaving thousands of people looking for long-term housing behind. In the city center of Nice, the figure is as high as 70%, mostly occupied by investors. As a result, many old quarters have become overcrowded with tourists, local shops have disappeared, and buildings are constantly being flooded with people, disrupting community life.

According to Le Monde’s investigative article “The Giant Airbnb,” the company, with revenues of $11 billion and a net profit of $2.6 billion by 2024, has taken full advantage of France’s tourism appeal and laxity in management policies. From its friendly model in 2008, renting a mattress with breakfast, Airbnb has become a global machine that has turned the urban real estate market upside down.

Airbnb now has more than one million listings in France, up 60% from 2018. Many hosts see short-term rentals as a “gold mine” that helps them quickly make a profit, even buying a second home to “depreciate” through tourists. This boom is also fueled by the trend of remote working, making short-term vacation home investments popular.

At the same time, the market is being transformed into a tool for property speculation: the personal experiences that were once differentiators are being replaced by lockboxes, management companies, one-size-fits-all decor, and a harsh rating system between landlords and tenants.

After years of being accused of being soft on Airbnb lobbying, French lawmakers and local governments are now starting to fight back, following in the footsteps of cities like Barcelona and New York. New legislation, due to be passed at the end of 2024, is seen as an encouraging start to clamping down on short-term rentals, although controls and taxation remain limited.

Source: https://vtv.vn/airbnb-nguyen-nhan-gay-khung-hoang-nha-o-tai-phap-100251029101114453.htm