Like the attacks on the independent taxi services Uber and Lyft, we find that ICLEI cities across the world are prone to restricting or outright banning the AirBnB service..

AirBnB is a direct way of renting a space in a private home for a short period of time.

Portsmouth, one of NH’s ICLEI members, recently made headlines when it failed to allow a couple to utilize property for rentals.

“PORTSMOUTH — A couple will not be able to rent out their property on Airbnb short-term after the zoning board denied their appeal Tuesday night.

Matthew Beebe and Barbara Jenny own Working Stiff Properties and live at 81 Lincoln Ave. They bought 87 Lincoln Ave. last year, intending that some day her daughter, a traveling musician, and son-in-law could live there. In the meantime, they planned to rent the property.”

Even though some city officials actually use the service themselves, they went along with the city’s decision to stop the couple.

“Vice Chairman Charles LeMay said he has used Airbnb before, and he thinks the home-sharing service is swell, but the matter before the board is whether the code enforcement officer who served the cease-and-desist order was acting in good faith.

The board found the city official was not acting unlawfully and denied the couple’s appeal.”

Red more … Portsmouth couple denied permission to rent property on Airbnb

Here are other cities where AirBnB is either frowned upon or outright banned: Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, San Franscisco, Santa Monica. How many of these are ICLEI members? All except Amsterdam, London and San Franscisco. Coincidence?