December 7, 2015
A party promoter is using Airbnb to rent out his Bronx pad for booze-fueled debauchery that includes strippers and women licking whipped cream off each other, neighbors and a state official say.
“It’s like the Airbnb version of ‘Animal House,’ ” said disgusted state Sen. Jeff Klein.
Klein told The Post he will demand Airbnb remove the listing from its site.
Nebi Ayele lists his property on Fenton Avenue in Pelham Park North, a quiet residential neighborhood, as Fenton Lounge and charges up to $750 a night. He also advertises on Facebook.
The home has a huge outdoor patio that includes a fire pit, a stage with a stripper pole, professional lighting, a sound system and a projector.
“The yard is magnificent,” said a neighbor, Jean Presta. “What he did back there is unbelievable — it’s gorgeous — but he’s using it as a club.”
Presta, 58, and her husband, Sal, are among 50 neighbors who signed a petition asking Klein to put a stop to the noise and nudity on their street.
Ayele lists rooms for rent on the home-sharing site and includes prices for every occasion — and then posts his proud results on Facebook, neighbors say.
Photos of past events show women sprawled out on the deck in thongs and with their bras pulled up to expose their breasts.
“This is a predominantly working-class neighborhood with families and retirees,” Presta said. “We have children right across the street.”
Although renters are not supposed to peddle their apartments through Airbnb, there’s nothing stopping property owners such as Ayele from turning their one- or two-family homes into virtual hotels.
It is illegal, however, to charge people for parties and provide liquor without a license. And it’s illegal to operate a commercial business on a site that’s zoned as residential.
A spokeswoman for Airbnb said this type of incident is “incredibly rare” and the company would take appropriate action.
Ayele did not respond to calls for comment.
Source: http://nypost.com/2015/12/07/the-airbnb-strip-club-in-the-bronx/