After hearing this opinion repeated with so much frequency, it would seem obvious to me that affordable housing must have been a non-issue before Airbnb existed 10 years ago. But of course, this isn't the case. As a matter of fact, cities that ban Airbnb don't seem to be doing better than those that have few or no regulations concerning the use of the platform. As far as I can detect, the ones that restrict its use seem to be doing worse than their counterparts, which would seem to imply that there exists no causal link between Airbnb and the lack of affordable housing.

The problem, like we all know but some refuse to admit, is that when supply is less than demand, prices increase. There is an extremely simple, remarkably achievable, but politically unpopular way to solve this. That solution of course, is to stop retarding new supply.

Until we come to terms with this, the problem will continue, and parties that are not responsible for it, (but are easy and politically tenable to hate) will continue to get the blame.