Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently announced the beginning of the “Shared City” initiative, which will “cut red tape” and “collect and remit taxes.” Airbnb will test the program in Portland before tailoring and exporting the program to other cities.
A recent post by Airbnb announced a dramatic change in course for the embattled room-sharing company. CEO Brian Chesky describes a new initiative called the Shared City as follows: “We’re offering to cut red tape and to collect and remit taxes to the city of Portland on behalf of our hosts. This is new for us, and if it works well for our community and cities, we may replicate this project in other U.S. cities.”
The Shared City initiative responds to Airbnb’s ongoing legal troubles with governments and affordable housing advocates. According to a recent article about the new initiative by Leigh Gallagher, “[some] municipalities say it should pay taxes. Others say its dwelling-sharing practice is illegal.”
Gallagher describes the initiative as “somewhere between Jane Jacobs meets Richard Florida with a 2014, shareable-economy twist.” Whether that association bears fruit or now, the initiative has been some time coming. “Last October, Chesky publicly said that Airbnb believes its hosts should be paying local taxes.”
More details about the Shared City from Gallagher’s article: “under the new deal, Airbnb will make it possible for hosts to donate a percentage of the money they earn on Airbnb to a local cause -- to determined by its hosts and the city of Portland -- and it will match the donations through a percentage of its fees.”
“Perhaps most notably, the company says it is finalizing a plan with Portland to collect and remit taxes to the city on behalf of its hosts. Under the new proposal (yet to be approved by Portland's City Council), Airbnb would collect an 11.5% tax based on what guests pay to hosts (the 11.5% representing the City of Portland's 6% and Multnomah County's 5.5% transient lodging taxes). The tax would be collected by Airbnb out of guests' payment and sent quarterly to the city of Portland.”
FULL STORY: Airbnb cozies up to cities

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie