NYC could lose 10,000 Airbnb listings after new short-term rental regulations: NPR

A new short-term rental registration law proposed by the administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams could remove thousands of Airbnb listings from the market next month.

The San Francisco-based company, which connects customers to short-term accommodation around the world, is no stranger to disputes with New York, one of its biggest markets in the United States. Previously, the company fought with former mayor Bill de Blasio on the regulation of quotations for short-term rentals. In July, the Adams administration filed a complaint to shut down an illegal short-term rental operation in Manhattan.

Earlier this month, officials hosted a town hall with local Airbnb hosts on the new short-term rental registration law.

And on Tuesday, Airbnb emailed some of its users containing a form where people can complain to New York City officials about the new restrictions.

“We are reaching out because the city is about to enact legislation that would significantly affect the ability of New York hosts to continue to share their homes,” the email reads. “As a result, short-term rental accommodations for travelers like you will be drastically reduced to hotels and a shared room without locks. This will limit travel options outside of popular tourist areas and hurt small businesses across the city. “

the new measure, which goes into effect in January, will require Airbnb hosts to register their short-term rentals in the city’s database, including proof that the hosts themselves reside there and that their listing meets local privacy requirements. zoning and security. If Airbnb hosts don’t comply, they could face penalties of $1,000 to $5,000.

An Airbnb spokesperson said the new regulations would hurt average New Yorkers who are struggling to keep up with rising costs.

“Airbnb agrees that regular New Yorkers should be able to share their homes and not be targeted by the city, and we urge the administration to work with our host community to support a regulatory framework that helps responsible hosts and targets illegal hotel operators,” Nathan Rotman, regional public policy manager for Airbnb, said in a statement to NPR on Wednesday.

Christian Klossner, executive director of the city’s Office of Special Enforcement, told the New York Daily News this he expects to see 10,000 listings disappear after the new regulations come into effect.

“Every illegal short-term rental in our city represents a housing unit that is not available to real New Yorkers,” said New York State Senator Liz Krueger. said in July, following the announcement of the trial. “In the midst of a current affordable housing crisis, every unit matters.”

The move comes just as the cost of housing in New York continues to rise. The median monthly rent for an apartment in Manhattan hit $4,033 in November, according to CNBC. And there may now be more Airbnb listings available than apartments for rent, according to a recent report from Curbed.

There are nearly 40,000 Airbnb listings in New York alone, according to InsideAirbnb, which tracks those numbers. More than half of these listings, according to the database, are for an entire house or apartment.