"I love to party!" Man rents out two-family home in Bronx for parties on Airbnb; neighbors not pleased
NEW YORK -- Neighbors say a man has been renting out his two-family home in the Bronx on Airbnb for wild parties. The property has been advertised as "Fenton Lounge." Neighbors are not pleased.
"Peace and tranquility. That's all we want," Sal Presta said.
But instead, Sal and Jean Presta say their neighbor, Nebi Ayele, is renting out his home on Fenton Avenue in the Bronx for wild parties.
"If it was up to me, I would do it every day because I'm a party animal. I love to party," Ayele said.
Nebi Ayele's Bronx home
Neighbors say one party, dubbed "Party in the Ghetto" was disruptive and lasted until 5:00 a.m.
Social media posts for the event boast of strippers, live DJs and plenty of alcohol.
"I had to close my windows, put my window air conditioner on to make noise and put earplugs in my ears and I still couldn't sleep," Jean Presta said.
"It's loud music. Very heavy lights all around it. Girls, guys drinking alcohol outside, inside," Tauqeer Haq said.
On Monday, December 7th, Ayele defended himself outside his home as local leaders and dozens of neighbors and their children rallied at his doorstep demanding Airbnb and similar sites pull Ayele's ads for "Fenton Lounge."
"They've got pictures of strippers. They've got pictures of jumbo screens in the backyard," one neighbor said.
Senator Jeffrey Klein is proposing legislation to ban one and two-family homes from renting for less than 30 days.
"They have brought Sodom and Gamorrah to the Bronx and that's going to end here today," Senator Klein said.
Ayele denies any wrongdoing, and says all his parties are private.
Protest over Nebi Ayele's Bronx home
"This is my house. Can I not enjoy myself?!" Ayele said.
When asked about people being charged $5 to get into his house, Ayele said:
"That was a fight night. I had a fight. It's pay-per-view. People had to pay for it."
Airbnb officials say Ayele's listing has been suspended, but his ads remain on other rental sites.
Senator Klein plans to introduce his legislation in January with hopes it will pass into law by the end of 2016.