Annie Speaks to LAUNCH: Her Citation, Airbnb Reaching out and More Encounters with Chicago Police
[ Annie's street in Chicago -- her house is across the street from Ogden Park (left). ]
Airbnb is consulting its legal team and has reached out to Chicago host Antionette "Annie" Wonsey after she received a citation Aug. 17 for operating a business without a license.
Annie tells LAUNCH that Airbnb said it will get back to her with information on how to prepare for her Sept. 22 court date. We have repeatedly asked Airbnb to comment on Annie's experience but have not received a response.
Chicago police officers cited Annie for "operating a hotel from her residence" without a business license at a rate of $130 a night. In fact, Annie rents just three rooms (hotels in Chicago are defined as seven or more) and Annie's most expensive listing on Airbnb is only $29 a night.
Annie, however, does not seem terribly concerned about the citation.
"I'm feeling fine. I don't need a business license to sublet my home," Annie tells LAUNCH. "I can do whatever I want." [ She may not be right about that - see our story ].
The Aug. 17 event that Annie taped and posted to YouTube [ see story ] started when police sighted three of Annie's guests, from Malaysia, in her Englewood neighborhood. The cops picked up the guests, took them to Annie's home and...