Airbnb sued New York City on Thursday over an ordinance that the company says imposes arbitrary restrictions that would greatly reduce the local supply of short-term rentals.
The 2022 ordinance, which the city plans to begin enforcing next month, would require owners to register with the mayor’s office, disclose who else lives in the property, and promise to comply with zoning, construction and maintenance ordinances.
Airbnb said called the restrictions “extreme and oppressive” and a de facto ban against short-term rentals that left the company no choice but to sue.
“Taken together, these features of the registration scheme appear intended to drive the short-term rental trade out of New York City once and for all,” Airbnb said. The company said the mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement “failed to consider reasonable alternatives.”
A spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams said city hall will review the lawsuit.
“This administration is committed to protecting safety and community livability for residents, preserving permanent housing stock, and ensuring our hospitality sector can continue to recover and thrive," said the spokesman, Jonah Allon. “The rules governing short-term rentals ... have been clear for years,” and the 2022 registration law was properly adopted by the city council, he added.
San Francisco-based Airbnb filed the lawsuit in state court in Manhattan. Three Airbnb hosts filed a companion lawsuit against the city.
Airbnb sued New York state in 2016 over a ban on advertising short-term rentals. It dropped that lawsuit when the city promised not to enforce it. In 2020, Airbnb settled a lawsuit against the city over monthly reporting requirements for its listings. Airbnb said the 2022 ordinance violates both settlements.
The New York restrictions are among many efforts by local communities to regulate short-term rentals without banning them. New Orleans is among cities taking on the rental giant, after a court struck down a previous law.
In some places, opponents have raised concerns about noise and safety. Critics also say the growth of short-term rentals pioneered by Airbnb has contributed to a shortage of affordable housing for residents, particularly in vacation towns. Those complaints extend far beyond U.S. borders.
On Thursday in Italy, the popular tourist destination of Florence announced an immediate ban on new vacation rentals in the city’s historic center.
For the eleventh straight day, airlines have canceled more than 1,000 flights as a response to staff shortages linked to COVID-19 and inclement weather. This is the longest stretch of mass cancellations since the onset of the pandemic.
One day ahead of the nationwide jobs report for the month of December, Milton Ezrati, Chief Economist at Vested spoke to Cheddar News about what to expect, and why ADP’s December estimates are already pointing in the right direction.
In the fight against climate change, much of the conversation revolves around reducing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide or methane - and attempting to raise oxygen levels. But there's another gas - hydrogen - that could play a big role in the fight for the climate. Marco Alvera, CEO of Italian energy infrastructure company Snam and author of the book, 'The Hydrogen Revolution,' joined Cheddar Climate to explain the role hydrogen plays in helping achieve a net-zero future.
Vietnam's first global automaker is coming to the United States. VinFast unveiled the company's full EV lineup of five models at CES 2022. A reservation program for its first two electric vehicles, the VF 326 and the VF e35, officially opened on Wednesday, with the company set to announce the vehicle's retail prices in the U.S. and Vietnamese markets. VinFast is also one of the world's first automakers to apply blockchain technologies to the process of certifying reservations, payments, and eventually vehicle ownership. VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
AT&T and Verizon have agreed to delay activating their 5G services for two weeks after Airlines for America, a lobbying group that represents American, Delta, and other airlines, filed a petition last week with the FCC to stop the deployment of 5G in the U.S. over concerns that the network can interfere with certain systems on airplanes. President Biden spoke out about it, saying it would avoid further delays and cancellations of flights. Light Reading 5G and Mobile Strategies Director Mike Dano joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Nick Hotchkin, WW's Chief Operating Officer, joins Cheddar News to discuss the wellness industry's evolution and the importance of this new year for consumers.
Nick Hotchkin, WW chief operating officer, joins Cheddar News to talk about the company's latest program innovation 'PersonalPoints.' Liv Bowser, founder of Liberate, talks to our Hena Doba about creating the first mental fitness studio. Meanwhile, students in Illinois will now receive 5 mental health days per year, State Senator Robert Martwick tell us more about the bill.
