Airbnb vans have been posing issues in New York City since 2015, but in 2023, Upper East Side residents are complaining that the rentals have led to disturbances like feces and urine in the streets.
The NY Daily News reports that a white Chevrolet van parked on one block on East 87th Street in June sparked concerns from neighbors who say that guests have been forced to relieve themselves in between cars or on building stairs.
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So far, three Airbnb van listings starting at $96 per night have appeared, all of which are rented by “Magda Agata” aka Magdalena Kulisz, an entrepreneur and co-founder of the networking group Miss Immigrant USA. The listings all show the same camper-style van with a queen bed, a bowl for a sink, and a small toilet with a sign that reads, “For Emergency USE only please! Please avoid doing #2 here!”
The listings also note that while there is no hot water or shower, guests can shower in her home: “just text and come.”
Though Kulisz’s rental claims to be above board, the legality of Airbnb vehicles is in question. An Airbnb spokesperson told the Daily News that it is against their policy for hosts to rent space on public property. Furthermore, the outlet reported that upon renting one of the vehicles for the night, they noticed that a similar van with the exact same license plate was parked a few blocks away.
In 2021, seven Airbnb vans stationed in NYC’s East Village were impounded by police shortly after YouTuber Uptin Saiidi documented his experience renting one of them, Curbed reported at the time. In addition to breaking the NYC law which says it’s illegal to park a converted van on the street for more than 24 hours, the vehicles were hit with numerous violations including traffic tickets, duplicate license plates, and expired registration.
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The Upper East Side Airbnb vans have yet to be forcibly removed, but the Daily News reports that two tickets have been issued by police and according to a spokeswoman for Council Member Julie Menin, the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement and the Department of Transportation have both been contacted to investigate the matter.
