Airbnb asks NYC to roll back ‘failed’ regulations on short-term rentals

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – A year after enforcement began, Airbnb says New York City’s strict rules for short-term rentals have failed, and it’s time for the city to reconsider.

New York City, in 2023, started enforcing restrictions on rentals under 30 days. Some of those rules include requiring hosts to be present during the trip, limiting rentals to just two guests at a time, and requiring hosts to register with the city before getting on rental platforms.

The strict rules have completely failed at protecting visitors and residents, Airbnb argued in a blog post Tuesday.

“ New York City ’s short-term rental regulations have backfired—disproportionately impacting outer borough communities, driving up travel costs, and doing nothing to solve the housing crisis,” Theo Yedinsky, vice president of public policy at Airbnb, said in a statement. “Instead of improving affordability, these regulations have priced out everyday consumers and left former hosts struggling to make ends meet.”

At the time of its passing, city officials estimated the law would affect tens of thousands of listings, effectively returning a huge amount of housing to the rental market. The law was particularly aimed at “bad actors” who snatch up housing for the sole purpose of turning a profit, council members said at the time.

“Every illegal short-term rental in our city represents a unit of housing that is not available for real New Yorkers to live in,” state Senator Liz Krueger said in 2021.

But rents continue to grow, vacancy rates have not improved and now hotel prices have also jumped, leaving visitors and renters alike spending astronomical fees to stay in the city, according to Airbnb.

Now, Airbnb is asking the city to reconsider the law with a more “balanced approach” that prioritizes building housing over choking out short-term rentals.

Airbnb previously took the city to court over the law, but a judge dismissed the case in 2023.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here .

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