Airbnb, Denver Struggle to Find Common Ground

Where other cities have found common ground with Airbnb and the short-term rental industry, Denver's negotiations toward regulations have continued since 2018 with little to show for the effort.

1 minute read

February 20, 2020, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Short-Term Rentals

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"Denver officials rejected a proposal from Airbnb this week on how to remove inactive and illegal postings from the site," reports Conrad Swanson. The rejection is the latest development in "drawn-out negotiations between the city and the company" to determine regulations for the city's short-term rental industry.

Swanson's scoop is sourced from documents obtained by The Denver Post, which indicate a pattern of behavior by Airbnb also reported in cities like Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, and New York, according to Swanson. "In some cases the company has filed lawsuits over the disagreements before ultimately settling and agreeing to cooperate with local regulations," according to Swanson.

Denver officials promise that similar tactics won't work in Denver. Eric Escudero, a spokesperson for the Department of Excise and Licenses, is quoted in the article committing the city to actions that will bring short-term rental companies into regulatory compliance.

Friday, February 14, 2020 in The Denver Post

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