Are you thinking of traveling to New York City and looking to book an Airbnb for a few days? Don’t be surprised if you come up empty-handed. The city’s authorities are taking strict measures against short-term apartment rentals in the metropolitan area. This means booking entire apartments for stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days has become increasingly difficult. This enforcement has led to thousands of listings on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking being removed, resulting in significant losses for those who supplemented their income by offering their properties for short stays.
The New York City short-term rental regulations stipulate that while such listings aren’t entirely forbidden, there are strict criteria to be met. Hosts must register and obtain a city permit before listing their properties on booking platforms, which are prohibited from featuring unregistered properties. To offer short-term rentals, hosts must reside on the premises and be physically present during the guest’s stay. Also, they can’t accommodate more than two guests at a time. This rules out options for whole apartment rentals or family stays –given the two-person limitation.
Both hosts and platforms that don’t adhere to these regulations can face fines of up to $5,000 and $1,500, respectively.
Less budget-friendly options
New York City, known for its high costs, has always been a challenging place for tourists looking for budget-friendly accommodations. With hotel prices soaring, many travelers have turned to apartment rentals as a more affordable and cozy option. Having a kitchen can also significantly cut down on meal expenses.
The city argues that these short-term rentals, aside from impacting housing availability, pose a safety risk to both visitors and local residents. Moreover, officials maintain that these measures also protect the hotel industry, which has been trying to recover from the hits taken during the pandemic.
For its part, Airbnb views this as a de facto ban on short-term rentals given the tight constraints placed on hosts, many of whom rely on this activity as an additional source of income.
New York City encompasses five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. This means the rental restrictions spans all these areas.
Existing reservations for stays on or before December 1, 2023, will still stand. However, bookings made for December 2nd and beyond will be canceled and refunded.
