Airbnb and other home sharing platforms arecontributing to the affordability crisis in Los Angeles—but onlynominally. New research from UCLA Ziman Center for RealEstate analyzes the potential link between theaffordability crisis and home sharing platforms, and found that a10% increase in Airbnb listings equates to a .04% increase inrental rates. Home sharing also has an increase on home prices.When the stock of Airbnb rooms increases 10% it leads to a .73%increase in housing prices. In markets like Los Angeles, where therental supply is already limited and a greater number of peopleparticipate in home sharing, the results are more dramatic,according to the report, although specific figures were motpublished. To find out more about the research and the link betweenhome sharing and affordability, we sat down with one of thereport's authors, Edward Kung, an associateprofessor of economics at UCLA, for an exclusive interview.

GlobeSt.com: What was the impetus for this researchon the relationship between Airbnb andaffordability?