This week's pre-festival frenzy brings some news that might amuse avid watchers of the city's interminable short-term rental battles. In a move that might or might not be some kind of metaphorical retort, HomeAway is renting out a human-sized birdhouse for SXSW.
The (bird)house, which we don't think has ever housed birds, keeps watch at the company's main headquarters at Fifth and Lamar, from where we're pretty sure you can see City Hall. The Austin-based company recently went head-to-head with the City Council over short-term-rental regulations.
The place is certainly well-situated for enjoying SXSW activities, and HomeAway partnered with West Elm to trick it out with trill furnishings for the last-minute attendees who book it.
The company will rent out the birdhome-for-two by auction, with proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity.