Yahoo Finance Man rents out back of van on Airbnb for $99/night
Chris Farley’s SNL character Matt Foley thought living in a van by the river was a bad thing but a Queens, NY Airbnb host is charging for the privilege.
The host who goes by the name Jonathan has at least six vans that he parks in the Long Island City neighborhood of New York and rents for $22 to $99 each night. Guests are not allowed to move the car. The listings offer sweeping views of Manhattan in a safe, quiet neighborhood. The listings also make it clear that the vans have no wifi, power, air conditioner, shower or bathroom. Guests are encouraged to use nearby public bathrooms and to leave the van during the daytime when the heat can be uncomfortable.
Still, at least 53 people have opted to stay in the vans instead of pricier hotels and apartments and the reviews are mostly positive albeit entertaining. “Not being able to shower was definitely a negative seeing as New York City isn't very clean so you get dirty easily,” writes a guest. One guest wrote that they used baby wipes to stay clean, another got creative with a sponge and a bottle of water.
Sleeping in a parked car is legal in New York City. After multiple calls to lawyers and New York City officials, it seems that nobody is sure how legal it is to rent said cars for short-term stays.
Airbnb host Jonathan writes in his profile that he is a standup comedian who lives in the neighborhood.
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