Airbnb gets a partial reprieve in NYC

Airbnb, a home-renting site that is one of the vanguards of the so-called “sharing economy,” has been under fire in big cities — including New York — where authorities have found that it violates local zoning laws. The service got a boost this week, however, after an appeal board found that a resident who rented out his room to two Russian tourists did not violate New York City’s prohibition against short term rentals.

In its decision, the board reversed a $2,400 fine that an inspector imposed on condo owner Nigel Warren, who had charged the tourist a fee and provided keys for three days.