Airbnb Policy Manager, John Choi, on Jan. 27, sent an intimidating letter to the Paradise Valley Town Council, opposing public safety and short-term rental measures to be voted on that very day and implying that Airbnb would challenge the legality of these measures as not benefitting public safety and being a burdensome, “de-facto”, ban on short-term rentals.

Had John Choi bothered to read these Paradise Valley measures, he would see they are practical, reasonable, workable, just plain common sense, and consistent with Arizona state law.

One might expect John Choi and Airbnb would respect and support public safety measures, and not try to intimidate them away with threats of challenges or suits and the usual “just oppose” arguments, and to respect ordinary people’s rights to public safety?

Public safety means short-term rentals should not operate like havens for short stay sexual offenders or for nuisance behaviors. Public safety means short-term rentals should not operate like “unregulated full time hotels” with little regard for the residents’ peace and safety and disrupt public safety and quiet enjoyment in ordinary people’s neighborhoods.

Public safety means the right to the quiet enjoyment of home and neighborhood. Why would anyone oppose public safety?

Is John Choi’s letter part of a broader, short-term rental industry, attempt to intimidate away the growing public opposition to unregulated short-term rentals and the rising chorus of cities and towns passing code amendments to regulating short term rentals and public safety, and to deny ordinary people’s need for public safety and short-term rental regulations?

Is John Choi’s letter part of an attempt to intimidate with the threat that, “Big Tech,” lobbying bucks will buy enough politicians to make their challenges to local measures prevail?

Editor’s Note: Dave Mason is a resident of Scottsdale and a part of the city’s Short-Term Rental Working Group.