New York’s Airbnb Reform, One Month In

Weeks after New York City passed strict new regulations on short-term rentals, the city has returned the “vast majority” of applications for not meeting the new criteria, reports Natalie Lung in Crain’s New York Business.

According to Lung, “The city has received 4,794 applications as of Oct. 9 and has reviewed 1,697 of them. Of those, 57% have been returned to hosts to provide additional information or to correct deficiencies, said Christian Klossner, executive director of New York’s Office of Special Enforcement, which regulates short-term rentals.” Just 28 percent of the applicants were approved, and applications are still rolling in, says Klossner.

Lung adds that “The registration requirement aims to hold platforms like Airbnb, Expedia Group's Vrbo and Booking Holdings accountable and prevents them from profiting from non-registered units by blocking financial transactions.” However, many landlords are switching their listings to less regulated websites to skirt the rules. “Critics say the platform has led to higher rents and limited availability in a notoriously tight real estate market, while many hosts argue that they need the extra income to help pay mortgages.”