Pittsburgh Mass Shooting: Finding who owns and rents Airbnbs can be tangled web
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- In the wake of the mass shooting in Pittsburgh, there are calls for more transparency and controls over short-term rentals properties in the city.
In the aftermath of the mayhem last weekend, investigators wanted to find out who owns the property and who rented it. But a KDKA investigation revealed those answers are not easily found.
Through property tax records, KDKA found that the building is owned by Greg Barr, who had no comment. But Barr did not lease the space that night. Rather, KDKA found that was done by a third-party management company called K and C Ventures, which leases or hosts short-term rentals through Airbnb.
The company could not be reached for comment on Thursday, but while they've taken the listing down, its Facebook page still features pictures of the building and its interiors. Airbnb would not comment on who listed the property or who it rented it to.
Councilman Bobby Wilson said the city and the police should have all of that information on the ready. He and other council members introduced legislation to require the owners of properties who use online renal companies like Airbnb to be licensed by the city. They would also need to keep a daily register of all the guests accessible to police on demand, which Wilson believes would keep the renters in line.
"If you know that the city and also the police have your name or at least the police have access to that information, there's going to be more accountability," Wilson said.
In a statement, Airbnb said the event was "an unauthorized party, thrown without the knowledge or consent of the host." But Wilson was surprised to learn K and C Ventures is based in Atlanta.
"That's the thing. The goal here is to have a name on record from a responsible owner who has investment in the property, not a company. Somebody who is going to pick up the phone who you can get in contact with," Wilson said.
