Tami Barker (Airbnb Host)
Tami Barker (Airbnb Host)
Tami Barker
Tami Barker is an ESL teacher, a test scorer, and a resident of California. She is notorious for canceling an Asian-American woman's reservation to stay at her house for a weekend and texting controversial racial comment s.
Career
Tami Barker is a Test Scorer for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) as well as an ESL instructor and writing center tutor at Mt. San Jacinto College (a community college) andInstructor of Workshops and Substitute Teacher at the University of California, Riverside.
In addition, she was listed in the 2016 Summer list of adjunct faculty members of Chaffey College in San Bernadino.
She also works as a creative mosaic artist where she builds sculptures and creates mosaic murals.
Personal Life
She is married to Jonathan Sutter, a Chemistry professor with Chaffey College.
According to their Airbnb account, the couple has had the Running Springs house since 2012.
Both of their LinkedIn accounts have been deleted as of April 8, 2017. However, one can see an archived PDF version of her Linkedin.
She has two dogs.
Airbnb Incident
In January 2017, Tami Barker confirmed that she would host a few people via Airbnb in her mountain cabin in Running Springs, California. Dyne Suh (a 25-year-old Asian-American woman studying law in UCLA), her fiance (Alex Biancardi), and two of her friends (Emily Williams and Theo Lequesne) were looking to spend a short vacation in Big Bear Lake over Presidents' Day weekend. They booked Tami Barker's house, listed as a "Tree House Loft and Private Bathroom," a month in advance.
Suh originally scheduled to stay in the house with her fiance for $250 per night.
She eventually asked Tami Barker if it was okay to bring two more friends and two dogs along.
Barker said it was fine, but she needed to pay an additional $50 per night.
Suh agreed and the foursome made their way over to the house.
15 minutes away from the house, Suh texted Tami Barker to let her know they were almost there.
In a video, Suh said she wanted to reaffirm how much it was for four people and two dogs.
Suh said that Barker denied that she ever agreed to have two extra people staying at the house.
However, Suh texted her with screenshots from weeks ago saying that it was okay.
Transcript of Aribnb Conversation (Extra Guests)
Screenshots were captured and posted online of the conversation between Tami Barker and Dyne Suh regarding additional charges for bringing extra guests:
Tami Barker: The hot tube is not sexy; it's an inflatable Coleman, It does the job but only fits 3 comfortably. It is an extra $25 a night for each guest. I can send u a new invoice that would add these guests to the bill if you like. If so, how many nights will they be there? I should add that there are two huge feather down sofas in the man cave on the first floor that are great for sleeping on My husband and I sleep there when we have a full house. Perfect for your guests. (3:26 PM) Dyne Suh: Oh lovely!! Thank you very much!! I will talk to them to verify the details! :) will get back to you shortly! Thank you so much for your response and for being so kind and accomodating!! (3:31 PM) [1]
Another conversation continues on January 9, 2017: [1]
Dyne Suh: Hi Tami! Thank you so much for your message! So yes, two friends will be staying over as well on both nights so $50 each? I can give it to you in cash if you prefer it as well! (7:01 PM) Tami Barker: $25 each, so an extra $50 per night. I will just revise the invoice and send it to you via Airbnb. Thank you. (7:03 PM) Dyne Suh: Ok sounds good! :) thank you!!! (7:05 PM)
Transcript of Airbnb Conversation (Dogs)
Dyne Suh also provided screen shots of her conversation with the host about bringing her puppy to the cabin.
After buying a second puppy, she asked if it was okay to bring two puppies.
Tami Barker was reluctant at first, but she eventually agreed after discussing it with her husband.
Dyne Suh: Hi Tami! Just wanted to let u know we have a teacup yorkie who is extremely well-behaved, quiet, and sweet and is about 1lb right now. Wanted to ask if it was okay with you for us to bring her. She would mostly stay in her little bag. Thank you! Tami Barker: Hello Dyne. Our listing is very clear that we do not acept dogs. We would love to be able to do that; however, our pitbull would love nothing more than to eat your sweet dog. Our pitbull loves people and super friendly but is extremely hostile towards other animals. Our pitbull lives on the first floor and you wil be on the 3rd floor; the problem is the pitbull will smell your dog and she will pace and bark constantly. So, I am sorry.... I have to say no to this request. Dyne Suh: Oh... it actually says dogs will be considered depending on the pet... Under house rules... Tami Barker: Do you want our dog to eat your dog? I wasn't aware it said "Considered." I've considered and I say "no." It is not wise at all. Thank you for understanding. I need to also give you a heads up that as of now, the hot tub is burried under5 feet of snow and is not in operation. I will check with my husband on the dog situation; it may be that our dog won't be there during that weekend. Keep in mind, there will be other guests on the main level.... 2nd floor. Does your dog bark? The dog would also have to stay in your room; we do have a doggy gate for the room you are staying in. Is your dog potty trained? I will check with my husband and get back to you on this; it might be a possibility. Dyne Suh: Our dog is very quiet and she is potty trained, but still we will keep her in her bag most of the time and NOT have her running around the room. She would definitely stay inside our room and not go to other parts of the house. We will be out of the house all afternoon and she will get her exercise then so she will probably sleep the whole timeback at the house. Oh... bummer about the hot tub bc that's the main thing we were looking for in selecting an airbnb for this trip, but I think we can try to find a hot springs or something and make it work. Thank you for your responses. I appreciate them. Tami Barker: Hello Dyne, OK... as long as it doesn't bark; it should be fine. However, if the hot tub not working is going to be a problem, I would strongly adivse you cancel now, so you can get your money back. There is so much snow up there; it is impossible for the hot tub to work as it is outside. Thank you for understanding and My husband says yes to the dog as our dog will be in San Diego that weekend with my son. Dyne Suh: Oh thank you so much!!! That is ideal... to just be able to bring her with us and go to a hot springs... bc the cancellation policy is strict, so if I cancel now I would only get 50% back. Plus I think your place is adorable and would love to stay there Tami Barker: Wonderful! It all works out. We are looking forward to your visit. Dyne Suh: Thank you so much!!! Looking forward to it too!
Weeks passed, and they eventually had another conversation about Dyne Suh's second dog:
Dyne Suh: Hello! So we actually ended up getting another puppy... they're two pounds each, really tiny, and would stay in their carriers or be in our arms when at the house, never left free to roam. They don't bark. Is it okay if we bring both our babies on Friday? I would really appreciate it. We're just there two nights and barely one day because we'll be out skiing Saturday... thank you so much... Tami Barker: Where will the dogs be when you are skiing? Dyne Suh: With us in their little bags :) Tami Barker: Our pit bull will be there this weekend along with other guests. If the dogs are in your presence at all timesand do not bark, we will permit it, but will not permit it for any future reservations when booking a single room. We usually only allow pets when guests want to rent the entire house because then there are no real concerns with other guests and / or pets. Dyne Suh: Yes they will be in one of our arms at all times and they do not bark. This would be tremendously helpful. Thank you so so much. Can we bring you a bottle of wine or anything as thanks?
One final line can be read at the end of the last screen shot from Dyne Suh: "Hi! So if the roads are blocked".
Cancellation
With the foursome being minutes away from reaching their Airbnb destination, Tami Barker canceled their reservation.
Her friends, Emily Williams and Theo LeQuesne (also a couple) drove 3 hours through heavy rain and snow; Dyne Suh and her fiance Alex Biancardi live 1 hour and 45 minutes away from the Big Bear destination.
Screenshots of text messages were posted of Tami Barker replying with the following:
"If you think 4 people and 2 dogs [and] getting a room [for] $50 a night on big bear mountain during the busiest weekend of the year.....
You are insanely high."
"I will contact Airbnb immediately."
"We are done here."
"You are a con artist."
The foursome was 3 minutes away from reaching the house before Tami Barker canceled their reservation.
Dyne Suh posted screenshots of her comments on Facebook. They include the following:
"[...] I wouldn't rent to u if u were the last person on earth" "One word says it all.
Asian""it's why we have Trump""And I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners."
Right after receiving these text messages, Dyne and her friends pulled over to a nearby motel to put on tire chains.
While there, they found some crew members of KTLA news. Dyne then talked to KTLA to tell her side of the story.
Aftermath
Tami Barker and her husband's VRBO account (under her husband's name: Jonathan Sutter)
After the incident took place, Tami Barker's Airbnb account was banned for life.
Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas told the Washington Post in an email that her behavior was “abhorrent and unacceptable.”
After her account was banned, the house was relisted on VRBO. The name under which it is listed is her husband's name: Jonathan Sutter.
In addition, people took to social media to express their outrage towards Tami Barker's text messages.
They also wanted Barker fired from her teaching positions.
One of her employers, Mt. San Jacinto College publicized their decision to keep Tami Barker on their staff. On April 11, 2017, they posted the following message on Facebook:
"Mt. San Jacinto College is aware of the allegations of discrimination that have surfaced against the owner of a property that was offered as a vacation rental.
The allegations do not involve the college district and did not occur on our campuses nor during college district business.
However, as a college district, we do not condone the type of behavior described in the allegations.
Mt. San Jacinto College does not tolerate discrimination of any kind at its campuses or during the course of college business."
In July 2017, Barker was ordered to pay a $5,000 penalty and take a course on Asian-American culture for her discrimination, based on a California law that penalizes those who racially discriminate on Airbnb.