Photo credit: Webster Apartments by Anomalous_A, is liscened under CC by 2.0

There has been much controversy lately over the room-sharing startup Airbnb which has recently awakened the argument over innovation vs. regulation. Airbnb has been presented itself as one of the most visible players in the “sharing economy” - ahead of services such as Vrbo and Flipkey. These short-term rentals are allegedly depleting the scarce housing market.

For the last six-months the Attorney General’s Office has been trying to get ahold of Airbnb’s host data, they have finally succeeded. Airbnb the online platform that allows apartment or home owners to rent their properties out to travelers is voluntarily giving up their host data. Although they will be removing some of the identification information such as, social security numbers, names, apartment numbers, and adding numerical identifiers to differentiate between the multitude of users.

In New York City, rentals dominate. Approximately two-thirds of the City’s residents don’t own the apartment they live in. But there’s more than just apartments for rent. One can rent a bicycle from Citi Bike, a Kayak at the Brooklyn Bridge Park, a car from ZipCar, temporary lodging from Airbnb, etc. And now there’s a new commodity up for rent—space.

Airbnb, the San Francisco-based bed and breakfast startup, has successfully helped to win an appeal for one of its users whose landlord was fined $2,400 for renting out his apartment for three nights. The East Village tenant, Nigel Warren, fought the ruling with his landlord, Abe Carrey, and Airbnb, with the primary argument being that renting a room does not violate the law, as long as a resident under the lease is present during the guest’s stay.