The city of NY will begin this Tuesday to apply a series of restrictions to short-term rentals that the Airbnb tourist accommodation platform considers a “de facto” ban on its activity.
The new regulations require all hosts to register with local authorities, since New York prohibits renting entire apartments for less than 30 days when the owners are not present, but this type of business often does not respect it.
“The city is sending a clear message to the millions of potential visitors who will now have fewer options to stay in New York: you are not welcome,” Airbnb global policy director Theo Yedinsky said in a statement shared with EFE.
A spokesperson for the platform also explained that New York regulations are an anomaly even among cities that have decided to regulate tourist apartments, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, which do allow hosts to offer their apartment without their being present.
He also argued that Airbnb has been trying for years to work with authorities to address the problem of illegal apartments, but that the city has decided to pass “new rules that create a ‘de facto’ ban on short-term rentals.”