Do collective resources reduce the number of Airbnbs in a neighborhood? Evidence from New Orleans

• In Event: 1451 - Community and Urban Sociology Section Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 16. Social Ties and Collective Efficacy

Abstract

This paper examines whether collective resources like social trust, social networks, rootedness, faith-based engagement, and civic engagement reduce the likelihood that short-term rentals like Airbnbs will enter a neighborhood. We conducted a large survey in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (N=5,060) that measured several types of collective resources. We aggregated the survey results to the census tract level and combined these data with census data on neighborhood demographic change, as well as with data from the web-scraping service, “Inside Airbnb.” Our analyses show that certain elements of social cohesion reduce the likelihood of Airbnbs establishing themselves in a neighborhood, net of gentrification and proximity to tourist areas. We also inquired whether hosts who live in a neighborhood are more responsive to community social pressures than are absentee corporate hosts. In our conclusion, we discuss the particular patterns in our findings: why some types of collective resources have an impact while others do not, and whether these effects are related to the type of social phenomenon that Airbnb represents.

Authors

• Frederick Weil, Louisiana State University

• Edward Shihadeh

• Tim Reling, Louisiana State University