PARTY’S OVER
Airbnb axes 35 N.J. listings for crowding during pandemic
If the movies “House Party” and “Contagion” had a sequel together, it might look something like a scene unfolding in New Jersey, where Airbnb removed or suspended 35 listings because of home rental hijinks that could lead to coronavirus outbreaks.
The online vacation rental company said Friday that it has yanked listings from all across the state after several massive house parties caught the attention of authorities — including one bash that saw 700 revelers packed into one space.
The action comes after state authorities cautioned against such gatherings amid clusters of coronavirus outbreaks.
Several houses in popular summer shoreline towns, including Ventnor, Asbury Park and Atlantic City, are among those shut down, Airbnb said, along with places in Jersey City and Newark.
“We ban party houses and will not tolerate irresponsible behavior on our platform,” Airbnb executive Chris Lehane said in a statement. “We know that there is still more work to be done.”
Lehane even asked local residents to become socialdistance snitches if the houses on their street become standing room only.
“We ask that neighbors contact us as soon as possible through our Neighborhood Support Hotline, to directly communicate any concerns,” Lehane said.
The decision comes days after 700 partygoers on Sunday packed into a Jackson Township mansion listed on Airbnb. It took police nearly five hours to clear out the area after neighbors complained about the colossal crowd.
“When there are hundreds of people crammed into a house where the air conditioning system is simply blowing the air around and where people are not wearing face coverings, you have also invited coronavirus to your party,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said earlier this week.
It was unclear whether any coronavirus cases were linked to the Jackson Township party — but Murphy and state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said big gatherings are contributing to an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the Garden State.
Murphy cited several other recent parties, including a Long Beach Island bash where 35 Harvey Cedars lifeguards tested positive and a celebration in Middletown that was linked to 50 new positive cases. A graduation party in Cape May County also led to 46 COVID-19 cases among young attendees. Murphy did not say if those cases were tied to Airbnb.
State officials underscored their message on Friday with a tweet from the NJGov Twitter handle warning against large house parties.
“We really need you to stop having crowded indoor house parties during a pandemic,” the tweet read, repeating the word “really” 19 times.
Airbnb also banned party houses last year — but the company said Friday it was honing in on a “small minority of hosts” who had already been put on notice for accommodating large crowds. The company said it informed the affected hosts on Thursday.
New Jersey — one of the states that was hit the hardest by coronavirus — is now in the second of three stages of reopening.
Murphy’s executive order permits outdoor gatherings of up 500 people, as long as attendees where face coverings and keep six feet apart.