The front lines of the short-term rental wars shift to the city of Boston.
Tim Logan reports: "Airbnb has filed a lawsuit in an effort to overturn Boston’s new short-term rental law, and is asking a judge to block the stringent rules from taking effect on Jan. 1."
"Under the rules set to take effect in January, Airbnb investors and apartment tenants would be prohibited from renting their homes by the night, and property owners would not be allowed to list more than one unit on the website," according to Logan.
The city of Boston approved its regulations to counter the proliferation of investor-owned properties listed on short-term rental sites like Airbnb. The city also believes the number of short-term rental units in the city is exacerbating the city's housing affordability crisis. In response, Airbnb is claiming that the city's regulations violate the federal Communications Decency Act, which, according to Logan, "protects online platforms from being penalized for third-party content," as well as the First Amendment.
FULL STORY: Airbnb sues city over rental rules
Boston Mayor Wants to Limit Short-Term Rentals
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh thinks short-term rental companies like Airbnb are having a negative effect on the city's housing market, and he'll walk a fine line to regulate the industry.
Airbnb Drops Lawsuit with the State of New York
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Cincinnati Ponders Short-Term Rental Regulations
Controversies short-circuited similar legislation in 2018, but the Cincinnati City Council is taking up the issues surrounding short-term rentals again this year.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
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HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
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Mississippi Aims to Abolish Income Tax — and Replace it With Gas Tax
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Louisville Launches ‘Anti-Displacement Tool’
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Detroit Transit Agency Requests $20M Budget Increase
The Detroit Department of Transportation wants to boost ridership by hiring more drivers, buying new buses, and enhancing station infrastructure.
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