NYC Spars With Hosts Over New Airbnb Rental Laws
- Legislation takes effect in January to tackle illegal listings
- New York has among the most restrictive rules in the US
New York City officials held a lively public debate with property owners on Monday over proposed changes to short-term rental laws that will make it much harder for hosts to list their apartments on Airbnb Inc. and other platforms.
Mayor Eric Adams’s Office of Special Enforcement outlined coming legislation that will more strictly enforce some existing laws and also add tough new measures. Hosts will be required to register their properties with the city, including names of all permanent occupants and their relationship to the applicant, and submit a detailed diagram of the listing, designating which parts will be used for the rental and highlighting fire exits, among other requirements. Tenants who are leasing must also provide a lease, and applicants need to submit a government ID along with documents that show proof of occupancy. The measure will also prohibit Airbnb and other platforms from processing payments for listings that are not registered.