An Anti-Airbnb Web of Lies

Oops: The effort to fake the appearance of public outrage at Airbnb hit a bump this week, when Politico caught a hotel-industry front group making up community leaders’ signatures on a complaint.

Share Better, an industry-backed “grassroots” coalition, had a letter allegedly signed by 15 black clergy that charged the homeshare company with driving up rents and displacing low-income tenants in order to speed up gentrification.

But three of the clergy said they not only hadn’t seen or endorsed the letter, but that they’re strong supporters of Airbnb in their communities.

The Rev. Patrick Young and Bishop Mitchell Taylor of Queens and the Rev. Fred Crawford of The Bronx are actually affili- ated with Airbnb — because it helps everyday New Yorkers pay their rents.

“As African-American faith leaders serving New York’s communities of color, we can see how we check a few key demographic boxes that could help you spin your web of lies about home-sharing in New York,” the three said in a statement on the Share Better scam. “We will not sit by and be used as a token in your crusade to shore up the hotel industry’s profits.”

(Share Better insisted Thursday that the three clergy had agreed to be part of the missive but later changed their minds.)

This comes as the City Council is drafting a bill to further limit Airbnb. Plainly, the industry fears that council members might listen to their constituents instead.