The city of San Francisco and Airbnb may move their dispute from the courtroom to the negotiating table, as the company indicates willingness to find a "win-win" with the city.
With the possibility of a 60-day hard cap looming over them and the judge in their case against the city indicating he's not likely to grant them the injunction they’re seeking against the city’s current law, AirBNB is looking to return to the negotiating table.
According to reporting by Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle, Airbnb plans to cooperate. Airbnb’s global policy chief, Chris Lehane, told her, “We can sit across the table from the city and address the issues in a win-win scenario.”
Members of the city government said they were "encouraged" by Airbnb's willingness to reopen the matter but were quick to point out that they don’t intend to make concessions. One point of contention has been Airbnb and its partners’ failure to comply with existing laws, "Host registration is a flashpoint in San Francisco. Only about 1,700 out of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 hosts have registered, undermining the city’s ability to enforce its 21-month-old law." By not registering, hosts avoid the oversight of the city, which, for example, prohibits renters for renting properties other than their own homes.
With the help of the company, the city may be able to make its registration process integrate more smoothly with the Airbnb website. This type of integration already exists in the city of Chicago, where Airbnb is also facing new regulations.
FULL STORY: Airbnb, under the gun, is ready to cooperate with SF
San Francisco Board of Supervisors Propose 60-Day Hard Cap on Airbnb Rentals
Tensions between Airbnb and the city of San Francisco continue to mount as the city propose further restrictions on the service, even while the current restrictions are being challenged in court.
Will New York’s Strict Short-Term Rental Rules Work?
Some owners are reluctant to put short-term rental units back on the long-term rental market, but the number of permitted units has dropped dramatically.
Study Finds More Reasons to Worry About Airbnb's Effect in the Housing Market
The new study, published by the Urban Politics and Governance research group at McGill University, comes with a major disclaimer: it was funded by the Hotel Trades Council, AFL-CIO, among other.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals
The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association