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Airbnbs get the hammer + Father's Day weekend picks

Airbnbs get the hammer + Father's Day weekend picks

Plus, music listings, Feel Good Friday & Deep Thoughts

Phat Chiem
June 14, 2024

Happy Friday, Capital District! Today, we’re diving into the fiery 🔥 debate over short-term rentals—it’s Airbnb vs. affordable housing advocates. Plus, see our best event picks for Father’s Day weekend.

Let’s goooo, Pops 👨🏾‍🦰

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

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Today in The 518

Short-term rentals get the hammer from NYS lawmakers
What’s the best burger in the Capital Region?
Your best bets for Father’s Day weekend, plus Deep Thoughts and Feel Good Friday!

📣 TALK OF THE TOWN

Sharing economy or selfish economy? 📷️ For The Many

New rules coming down on short-term rentals

It’s a battle that has pitched housing advocates on one side, and Airbnb owners and tourism leaders on the other.

Last week, the state Legislature made its move, passing new rules that will require short-term rental operators to register their listings, pay sales and occupancy taxes, and ensure that their spaces are up to code. Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to support the bill (of course, they said the same thing about congested pricing).

Capital District cities from Albany to Saratoga Springs have all looked into putting their own restrictions in place. It’s also been a particularly hot-button issue in the Hudson Valley.

Full disclosure: We run a popular Airbnb in Albany (with a 4.99 ⭐️ rating) here at The 518 home base. Our place attracts tourists from near and far, giving them a great night’s stay at a reasonable rate. People who can’t afford hotels stay here and spend their tourism dollars in our city.

At the same time, we’re in a mixed-income neighborhood and are well aware of the lack of affordable housing. Housing advocates say every home that becomes an Airbnb is one less home available for renters, and neighbors complain that short-term rentals are bad for community building. The debate is fierce, y’all.

Our take: We have enough trouble attracting people to the Capital Region without making accommodations more expensive with more taxes. At the same time, we truly do have a serious housing problem. It’s a thorny issue without easy answers.

What’s your 🔥 take? Take our poll:

Are short-term rentals contributing to the housing crisis?

🌞 WEATHER WATCH

“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat." —Harper Lee

Should be lovely for Father’s Day, but get ready for a heat wave next week.

⛈️ Friday 83°/61° 💧 98%

🌤️ Saturday 79°/50° 💧 0%

🌤️ Sunday 79°/60° 💧 0%

A message from our partner

Local businesses need marketing like a garden needs bees—without it, there’s no buzz and no growth. Just planting your business in the community soil isn't enough. You have to attract customers, and that's where local marketing comes in.

Don’t know where to start? For a limited time, we are offering free 30-min coaching calls for small & medium businesses in the Capital District. Chat with us about optimizing your website, reviews, Google listings, social media, Shopify stores, and more! Sign up here (limited availability).

🗞️ CAPITAL DISTRICT DIGEST

Is this the best damn burger in the Capital Region?

Four former ShopRites open as Market 32 stores

Today’s the big day for Price Chopper as it opens four ShopRite locations converted into Market 32 stores. Remember customers get 5% off their grocery bill on Friday and Saturday, and an additional 5% of the sale will be donated to community youth programs. The Times Union has a first look at the new stores.

518 Black Restaurant Week is back

Albany has declared the week of June 19th to be Black Restaurant Week, in a nod to the Juneteenth holiday. Sit down or take out a $35 three-course dinner at these participating restaurants.

Are these the best burgers in town?

Just in time for Father’s Day, the listeners of Zoey 103.9 have voted on the best burgers in the Capital Region. The No. 1 choice won by a landslide — it sure looks damn tasty! Check out the full list and see if you agree with the choices.

Chick-fil-A coming to Albany's Central Avenue

Guess we’re doing all the foodie updates today! 😋 The oh-so-popular Chick-fil-A chain confirmed that it’s opening a new location later this year at the old Armory Garage auto dealership on Central Avenue. Chick-fil-A also wants to open spots in Brunswick and Latham, but those locations are facing pushback over traffic concerns. The Times Union has the full story.

🎟️ FULL WEEKEND ROUNDUP

Dad Fest: Making more dad bods in Washington Park

⭐ = The 518 Staff Picks

Chop & Steele screening with The Found Footage Festival | 8p, Fri, $11.54. Watch the 2023 documentary about the notorious pranksters, with a mini-show by The FFF.

Fuzzball Goes to Camp | Doors open 6:30p. Tix: $6-12. The World's Greatest Gameshow returns for a night of hilarious fun, spooky stories and prizes, as we head off to summer camp! Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River St, Troy.

Movies Under the Stars: Little Mermaid | Preshow at 7:30p, movie at 8:30p, Fri, free. Black Lives Matter Park, Livingston Ave, Albany. Bring a lawn chair and watch the classic Disney flick alfresco.

10th Annual Good Karma 5K Run/Walk/Roll | 9:30a, Sat, $35. Get good karma and good exercise at the same time. Proceeds benefit AIM for Seva and the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY.

⭐️ 3rd Annual Capital Strawberry and Wine Festival | Come out for all sorts of strawberry-themed treats, as well as wine tastings, lobster rolls, fried pickles, and more! 11a-6p, Sat; 11a-5p, Sun. Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy. Tix: $20, $10 for designated drivers, and free for kids. Btw, Schaghticoke and Averill Park have their own strawberry festivals on Saturday as well.

State Street Yoga | 10-11a, Sat, free. SUNY Plaza, Albany. Join friends and neighbors for an all-levels yoga class on the beautiful lawn at SUNY Plaza, led by instructors from Hot Yoga Spot. Every Saturday in June and July.

Father’s Day Olympics | 10a-2p, Sat. Dads and kids compete in a variety of games like Human Ring Toss, Frisbee Water Dash and Beach Ball Race. Winners get 🍦😋 $25 for each dad + kid. Bowman Orchards, 147 Sugar Hill Rd, Rexford.

Curtis Lumber's 14th Annual PetAPalooza Pet Adoption Day & Fair | 10a-3p, Sat, free. Meet adoptable animals from 70+ local shelters and maybe walk away with a dog, cat, bird or even a rabbit that needs a forever home 😻 Curtis Lumber, 885 State Route 67, Ballston Spa.

⭐️ NYS Parks Centennial Community Day Celebration | 10a-4:30p, Sat, free. Celebrate the New York State Parks’ 100th anniversary with Civil War reenactors, pony rides, petting zoo, jugglers, face painting and food trucks. Ulysses S. Grant Cottage National Historic Landmark, 1000 Mount McGregor Rd, Wilton.

Soroptimist Annual Garden Tour | 10a-3p, Sat, $25. Self-guided tour features 10 select gardens from across Schenectady Co. Proceeds will support scholarships and other assistance for women and girls.

⭐️ Destroyer Escort Day at USS Slater | 10a-4p, Sun. Ceremony at 10 am. 1 Quay St, Albany. Free for dads; otherwise $12 for adults, $10 for vets & seniors. The USS Slater invites all dads to tour the iconic ship. Btw, don’t miss our story on the Slater’s remarkable 80 years since commissioning.

Juneteenth Celebration at UREC | Noon-4p, Sat, free. Underground Railroad Education Center, 194 Livingston Ave, Albany. Celebrate this historic day with free food, music, poetry readings and Myers Residence tours.

⭐️ BikeFest 2024 in Troy | 3-7p, Sat. Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St, Troy. Troy Bike Rescue’s BikeFest features beer, food, a cake auction, raffle prizes, and, of course, bike talk. Suggested donation of $25 per person. Folks who purchase online will receive 2 free raffle tickets upon entry.

⭐️ Dad Fest at Washington Park | Anchored by a newly added classic car show, the big festival features great food, craft vendors and live music. 10a-6p, Sunday, free.

Also, don’t miss these other Father’s Day events around the Capital Region: Gas Up Exposition in Gallupville, Cars on Union in Saratoga, and Cruisin’ on the Avenue in Scotia, and Father’s Day Burgers & Brews in Clifton Park.

🥕 FEEL GOOD FRIDAY

The 20,000-sqf Bargain Grocery opens in Troy later this summer

Good food at good prices coming to Troy

Did you know that Albany County has the highest percentage of adults who struggle with food insecurity? And that Troy is a federally recognized food desert? The Bargain Grocery aims to help solve some of these issues with a new store that will offer fresh, local produce and other nutritious foods at a 30% discount from big-box stores. Part of Troy’s $75 million River Street revitalization project, the store is set to open later this summer.

🧠 DEEP THOUGHTS FOR THE CAPITAL DISTRICT

🤔 Would Albany have fared better if it had stuck to its original name—Beverwyck? (Interestingly, Beaverton, OR, and Albany, NY, both former centers of the fur trade, have roughly the same populations!)

🤔 Who thought it was a good idea to design the 1-787 so that the first thing you experience driving into Albany is a U-turn?! Not a great first impression, folks.

🤔 Did you know that Albany has been called home by both Herman Melville (famously of Moby Dick) and Jimmy Fallon (famously of Late Night)? Any connection there?

📷️ YOUR BEST SHOT

The Empire State Plaza shining proudly 📷️ Stephen Enright

Latham resident, photography hobbyist and 518 subscriber 🙌 Stephen Enright recently grabbed this stunning image of the Empire State Plaza buildings all lit up in Pride colors. Thanks for the awesome shot, Steve! Be sure to follow him on IG.