The Bethlehem Gadfly

3250 items

• Agreeing wholeheartedly with Breena's "Observations"
  
• Airbnb . . . short-term lodging: why should we care?
  
• Airbnb in Northampton County Court (6th in a series on Airbnb)
  
• Airbnb on Broad Street (7th in a series on Airbnb)
  
• Airbnb: Big Picture – Part 1 - 3rd in a series of posts on Airbnb
  
  Complaints by neighbors about Mary Ellen Williams and Jay Brew using their homes at 258 E. Market, 265 E. Market, and 4 W. Church for short-term rentals through Airbnb. While Williams and Brew are the foci of the legal proceedings going on that give this situation headlines, others have come to public comment at City Council meetings to complain about similar issues in other parts of the City. What is Airbnb? “The Uber of the hospitality market, Airbnb acts as an online broker, connecting people who need a place to stay with hosts who have a spare bedroom, apartment or a full house to rent.” Is Airbnb a BadGuy? No, not necessarily...
• Airbnb: Big Picture – Part 2 - 4th in a series of posts on Airbnb
  
  How did Williams and Brew respond? Bethlehem’s fledgling home-sharing law, which cracked down on a trio of historic homes listed on the Airbnb website, is being challenged in Northampton County Court.
• Airbnb: Why Should We Care? - 2nd in a series of posts on Airbnb/short-term rentals
  
  The Gadfly likes to be in at the beginning. And he’s not on what for this blog’s purposes we are calling the “Airbnb issue.” There was a development in this issue yesterday, and we’ll get to that, but hold on for a post or two or three while Gadfly tries to wrap his wings around this issue, wonk fashion, that has been “brewing” (bad pun as you will see) for maybe two years. In the last post Gadfly provided some basic sources to establish a timeline. Check it out. A wave of the wings to Morning Call reporters Nicole and Matt and Daryl for providing the framework for us. The issue centers on neighbors’ reacting to a Bethlehem couple in the Northside historical district renting their home (and then homes) on a short-term basis. First things first, why should the general “we” of the City care? Why is Gadfly spending time on this? Why should you read on if you don’t live in the Northside Historical District?
• Alan Jennings: "There is too much to do"
  
• Alarm at the Armory again
  
• Alert on the New Hill-to-Hill Bridge!
  
• Alert! 2 W. Market Back on Center Stage
  
• Alert! Gadfly is at the University of Notre Dame (attending granddaughter graduation)
  
• ALERT! Given today's police/community bad news! "Trust Building with Law Enforcement" -- 3PM today Monday
  
• Alert! Important online Public Safety Committee meeting tonight, 6PM -- must register for best results
  
• Alert! Important online Public Safety Committee meeting Tuesday, August 11, 6PM -- must register
  
• Alert! Listen before the 6PM meeting if you can
  
• Alert! Modifications to tomorrow night's City Council meeting
  
• Alert! New first dose vaccine appointments opening up!
  
• Alert! Opportunity to ask your coronavirus questions of the Mayor
  
• ALERT! Starting now! 2:30 Monday!
  
• Alert! Vote on "demonstration ordinance" tonight postponed!
  
• All Of Us are Rescuing Historic District Properties (30th in a series on 2 W. Market Street)
  
• All Quiet on the Lehigh Front? (14th in a series on Lehigh University)
  
• All set to vote in the national election vote?
  
• Allentown "defunders" vote against adding officers