Registration and Requirements for Short-Term Rentals

Online comments: 476

• Gordon L

  This is ridiculous. Where we live in NYC (Bed Stuy) there are no hotels. We make our place available to guests who are visiting family locally, for example older parents visiting their kids and grandkids who live in the neighborhood. They want to be within easy walking distance to their families; there are no hotels nearby that cater to this. Guests shop locally at the neighborhood cafes and restaurants. We recommend locally owned and operated places for them to go. This proposed rule would disrupt local families in this neighborhood, and send money away from local Bed Stuy businesses. We’re not trying to be a hotel. So…why does New York want to make visiting family here harder than it should be? Why does New York want tourists to have to stay at corporate hotels in neighborhoods which complicate their visit? Why does New York want to be less helpful to the small businesses trying to make a living in areas where there are limited tourist dollars to start with?

  Comment added December 12, 2022 9:57am

• Karla Duran

  Do I have to share all my info with you to have a guest in my apt? Get your permission?Is this real or Am I in Truman Show or Big Brother? what is Next Are you going to watch me by putting cameras all around the city? This law is the first step of FACISM. You are showing an example of Boston or Santa Monica! Why not like similar cities London or Paris that allow tenants do short term 3-4 months of the year? How about the tourism!! When the hotel industry run full capacity 365 days of the year, they can accommodate 48 million tourists which is the number of tourist who visit NYC in 2008 before online short term booking started. In 2019 this number is 68million. Where you are gonna fit the rest 20million visitors/ tourists? If you do basic math that makes 2million less tourist per month which is 20 percent of the total population. You are stealing away %20 revenue of NYC away from NYers pocket!!!

  Comment added December 12, 2022 10:30am

• Eduardo O

  We do short term rentals on our 2-family building to help with monthly expenses to live in NYC (I have been here for over 13 years). This brings business to the neighborhood, from the bodega and grocery store, to the local bars and restaurants. Our tenants want to be closer to their relatives or friends. There’s no decent hotel in the area. Why would be this enacted on 2-3 family buildings? It makes no sense, please reconnect with the city and come up with a more fair new rule.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 10:32am

• Simon Hotchkin

  This law is a disgrace. The “office of special enforcement” should focus on people renting out rent stabilized apartments or turning entire buildings into illegal hotels. People like me with one airbnb that I own and rent occasionally should be left alone and allowed to make a little bit of money. I should not have to jump through impossible hoops and insane bureaucracy designed to eliminate short term rentals and small people from making any money. Is this New York or North Korea?

  Comment added December 12, 2022 10:42am

• IR

  We have been unable to procure a copy of the transcripts from the Dec 5th hearing. We look forward to the OSE posting them so that we can review and respond to claims made in that hearing’s testimony.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 11:21am

• Katie Doyle

  We are an Irish family who just enjoyed a fabulous stay in an Airbnb home in Brooklyn as a short term rental! We loved it. Having our own space was crucial! We didn’t want to stay in a hotel as we needed the amenities of an apartment and we 100% wouldn’t like to share with anyone so we wanted to rent the place to ourselves given we’ve young kids. We also loved immersing ourselves in the local Brooklyn community and enjoying what it has to offer! We hope we can continue to stay in places like this and not be forced to stay in a hotel or share our privacy with someone else! Thanks!

  Comment added December 12, 2022 11:41am

• Robyn E Harvey

  My family and I stayed at a lovely short term rental in Brooklyn over the Thanksgiving weekend. Our hosts, Jenna and DeRoy, welcomed us in their legal 2-family home which they own. The two bedroom apartment was impeccably maintained. The location allowed us to walk to other family members who live in Brooklyn, as well as to the subway
  to enjoy NYC. It was wonderful to support the local shops and restaurants. The experience of the rental allowed us a very personal Brooklyn experience. We look forward to doing it again in the near future.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 11:48am

• Jenna

  The way the proposed bill is currently written will obliterate the short term rental market in New York City. It will mean that many of us who host short term stays will not be able / willing to continue to do so. In our case, we are a family with young children in a 2-family home that we own. We don’t want our guests in our space, nor do we want our doors unlocked. Our guests don’t want to share space with us, either. The piece of the proposed bill that would force us to rent to only two people doesn’t account for different types of properties. Again, with a 2-family home, a 3-bedroom unit easily accommodates a family of 5 visiting our city. For a family traveling with young children, having access to a washing machine and a dishwasher is critical for a weeklong stay anywhere. They won’t come to NYC as tourists if they have to stay in hotels because they won’t be able to afford it. The vast majority of our renters are folks visiting family in our outer borough neighborhoods. They are grandparents visiting new grandbabies, staying with us for those first precious two or three weeks. They want kitchens to prepare food for their kids, and they want the extra room to house another visiting family member.

  The language of the bill, and the behavior of the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, has made the hosting community out to be criminals. Many of us are middle and working class residents of our great city, and short term rentals make it possible for us to pay our mortgages. We take pride in hosting visitors. We are “superhosts” with years of glowing reviews. We take care to ensure that our house rules are followed. We’ve hosted traveling nurses at no cost during the pandemic. We’ve hosted refugees and families displaced by natural disasters. But without our short term rental income, many of us will be forced to sell our properties and search for new places to call home: we can no longer afford to live in New York City.

  Let’s do better, New York City. Let’s come together to find a solution that makes it possible for 1 and 2 family homeowners with impeccable reviews to continue hosting tourists and visitors to our great city. Work with Airbnb to implement a mandatory tax for our guests. Work with us to ensure that the new rules allow us to continue bringing needed revenue to the city. We are here, we are responding to these public comments and attending your hearings, but we need you to listen to our voices as clearly as you’re listening to the hotel union and lobby.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 1:09pm

• A Williams

  Two weeks ago there was an online hearing regarding this proposed new law that would require all homeowners to register their homes with the city for short term rentals. Because of some technicality, they are re-doing the hearing for 1/11/23. If you were on that first call , you would’ve heard some truly sympathetic stories from all sorts of New Yorkers who rent their homes. To be clear, these people were the overwhelming majority of the callers. These were widows who can’t afford their rents, pleading with the city to let them earn desperately needed income by renting a room in their home. Or people with disabilities who can’t work who depend on this money just so they can survive in the city. The list goes on and on. There were literally dozens of these stories, and the worst part about it is that most of them went unheard, as all the city council people and local lawmakers logged off the call after giving their own statements in full support of the law as written. They didn’t stay to hear any of it. We understand that there are tons of bad actors out there: people or corporations, who buy apartments and rent them on Airbnb by the dozens. They’ll buy several units in a large apartment building and rent half of them out on Airbnb and there’s no concern as to what these guests do. Often times these are people who don’t even live in the city. But the single-family homeowners who are not these people!
  What the city is doing here is truly egregious. They’re trying a one-size-fits-all approach to this problem and blaming private homeowners for the housing crisis in the city. To be clear, these homeowners would not be renting these rooms or guest units otherwise on a long-term basis. It’s just a way for them to make a little supplemental income on the side and survive in this extremely expensive city. If you ban short term rentals in 1 or 2 family homes, it will no create affordable housing. It’s extremely unfair and untrue to blame these homeowners for the housing crisis in the city but that’s what they’re trying to do. New York City is literally telling private homeowners who they can and cannot have stay in their homes that they pay taxes on. It’s insane.

  The city tried to stop Uber and Lyft, which ultimately proved futile and an agreement was reached. Hopefully that’s the case here. I think hosts would be happy to pay an annual fee for an approved short term rental permit or something to that effect. This could also be limited to just 1 and 2 family homes, not large apartment buildings which is where all of the issues seem to be happening. There’s a genuine need for short term home rental in NYC. The people that we host in our apartment for example are grandparents coming to visit their kids who just had a baby and don’t have enough room in their own apartment to host them. Or they are people in town for a wedding or a funeral. Or they are tourists coming from all over the world to spend money in New York City — families with small children, who need a kitchen, laundry, and extra space that a hotel simply could not provide. Furthermore, there are no hotels anywhere near where we live in Brooklyn. These are people who simply will not have a place to stay if this law goes into effect. It’s just extremely shortsighted what the city is trying to do and hopefully somebody calls them out on it and puts a stop to it. The city needs to re-think this immediately.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 1:17pm

• Sharon

  My family and I live in a two family home. I have 4 children. We use the income from our 1 bedroom short term rental to help pay our mortgage. We purchased our home in 2020. We would not be able to live here without the income. We live in the home, it’s hard for my kids to be quiet when we have guests but they know they will get a break when the guests leave. They can do it because they understand it helps with our housing costs. I would be very afraid to rent long term. My kids are noisy and the laws do not protect small home owners like me if we were to have someone who refuses to leave. This law will serious impact our ability to live in NYC. My husband works midtown and my children attend schools here. Once again, you are hurting middle class families in order to help large hotel operators.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 2:35pm

• X

  https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2021/07/16/eric-adams-hotel-trades-council-rally-vows-to-deliver-on-union-priorities

  So if we gathered millions of dollars and “donated” it all to city officials, would we get legislation pushed to approve Airbnb’s? Don’t we already pay an insane amount of money to taxes to the city and state? read the article and it clearly shows the interest of our “great” leaders of this city. They don’t care what we have to say in these comments. They’re trying to make it look like they care by having these comments open but they don’t. There is an agenda they have been pushing and that’s it. Its simple they get money from the Hotel Trades Council, and in turn they propose laws and rules to favor that council and screw us all.

  https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2021/07/16/eric-adams-hotel-trades-council-rally-vows-to-deliver-on-union-priorities

  Comment added December 12, 2022 2:42pm

• Gabe

  We have a 2 family home. We do short term rentals and pay proper taxes in this. This allows to afford our home and for our family to stay with us. It provided a safe space for our nephew to live with us while allowing us to keep the opportunity to have income at other times. Removing this listing will seriously hurt our livelihood.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 4:51pm

• William Gomez

  . We need to understand that to do this well, we must find a middle ground that doesn’t leave anyone behind and that also benefits new technologies, our economy, unions, tourism, small landlords, residents, the middle class, and companies as well.

  1- Firs It is confusing that this new law would limit the usage of everyday New Yorkers own private property. Also, it is problematic as the bases of our economy are Free Markets, Free Economy, and the right to Private Property. This last one is only the natural right of all individuals to create, obtain, and control their possessions, beliefs, faculties, and opinions as well as the fruits of their labor. This New Law could be potentially gone against this fundamental principal to every American New Yorker.

  2- Second Airbnb and similar platforms benefit Middle Class New Yorkers, Local Communities, and local governments. Their systems of verification are everyday safer. Airbnb implements security checks; this is great because our communities are safe. Airbnb gives extra insurance in case Guest and Host need it too. On the other hand, it benefits local communities as guest visit parts of the city never explored by others before. Lastly local governments because hosts are willing to contribute more. However, host have been paid taxes to the city already contributing their fair share and bringing income to the city’s finances. We get very confused when the city comes up with a law, only allowing 2 guest per unit as most people using Airbnb are families or friends with a greater number of more than 2 guest. They are visiting other cities and countries to spend time with their families or Friends, and this kind of spaces are not offered by most Hotels in the city as their Maximum Occupancy per party is up to 4 people per room in a limited amount of 2 beds per room, and most hotels have an occupancy of Single Bedroom and Up to 2 people. In fact, this restriction of only 2 guest per unit could create a direct competition to the hotel industry of the city if this is what the city is trying to avoid with this law. My Question is How could the city find a way in the middle that Hosts that are Small Landlords could rent out their entire apartment for less than 30 nights and pay the right amount of taxes to contributes to the city finances this is important instead of banning a platform that is already changing the world in a good way, how is it possible that New York city is left behind the world as we are the capital of this world. On the other hand, Rent Laws in the City are outdate only filling up the necessities of people back in the 30s 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. We are in 2022 where New Technology are the key to advancement and nowadays the needs of New Yorkers are different than The New Yorkers back in the dates.

  3- Lastly. the description of these law has many gaps, and the city could be leaving Small Landlords or Middle-Class New Yorkers in Financial Jeopardy because This middle-class New Yorkers are already struggling with the after-pandemic effects just to mention high inflation, high taxation, reduction in income etc. I would say let’s find a way in the middle and lets gets more time to discuss this matter and change it in an equal way for everyone and most important let’s don’t leave anyone behind.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 5:35pm

• James Xu

  My husband and I rent out our extra room in our single family home in Queens, and this income has become so important to us. As mom and pop homeowners, the pandemic, the high inflation afterwards and growing taxes made it more and more difficult to keep up with our bills. This extra income is such a life saver, so we can keep living in our place. A lot of our guests are staying with us because they are visiting relatives in the area, where there are no real hotel options. They really enjoyed our place, and told us the stay made them feel more welcomed to NYC.

  The regulation will make it almost impossible to continue doing Airbnb, and it does nothing outside benefiting the hotel chains who donate to the politicians who champion this regulation. Most of the hosts I know enjoy the flexibility of short term rentals, so the argument that we are taking long term housing stocks off the market is just a feel-good way for hotel lobbyist to push their agenda through. Why are our little guys always being targeted the most? We are just hard working families who’s trying to make a little extra income. Why is the city, despite not doing enough to combat crime and protecting us, spending this much energy to take away means of tax paying honest New York homeowners? Please help us, New York.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 6:03pm

• Eran Tzivon

  I have been a homeowner in Crown Heights since 2020, and use the unit for air BNB when I can. It is a life saver with the mortgage, and is bringing nothing but a great economic and cultural good vibes to the neighborhood. People come from all over the world and they are all saying the same 2 things – thank you for saving us from Hotel prices in Manhattan and we would never be in brooklyn without this place.

  Crown, Bed Stuy, Bushwick… we just got our city bike stations and we are fighting everyday to see our streets getting safer and cleaner and yes, being a tourist attraction! We love this city. It is why, against any economic sense, we bought houses here as middle class families. This is not a “shark tank” situation for us. It’s just 2 teachers with an 11 yrs old kid and a dog, who are trying to make ends meet.

  Over regulating this market, instead of just catching the criminals who are double leasing and scamming, is the wrong thing to do. The Crown hosts the West Indian day parade every year. You might have heard of it :)… Do you want to be here for this amazing party as a tourist? well, its short term housing or the A/4 lines to Manhattan for you…

  We have to move forward here, people.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 7:12pm

• Farouk C.

  New York City just topped the list and became number 1 of the most expensive city in the world to live in. And this new regulation will put even more people in the streets and won’t really solve the shortage of rent stabilized or housing mark of NYC since rent prices are already skyrocketing. I know so many of my friends that had to deal with a 30% increase in their monthly rent thanks to greedy landlords. You will have on your conscience so many working families, middle class and low income people on your hands but hey you don’t care since you are serving the hotel industry and a Mayor Eric Adams that is already a landlord of 2-3 properties in Brooklyn. Thank you for always thinking and enacting laws that will mostly profit the wealthy and rich and saying that these laws will help the housing market and middle class and working families of NYC. What a shame, you won’t get our votes. Crime is increasing, everywhere, public transportation is going down, cost of living is going up thanks to inflation and you want to handicap and remove a source of revenue of many people. Instead you should go after operators that have many listings, greedy landlords and hotels and hospitality sector. Do you really think that people will still visit NYC with a hotel room averaging $250 to $350. We are helping tourists enjoy the city at a reasonable price point, we show them and provide recommendation about neighborhood shops and proximity shopping. We are helping so many people around us by rent out a room while still living on the property or apartment. Guest do love having access to a kitchen, cooking their own meals, shopping from supermarkets, enjoying restaurant and landmark places nearby.

  New York City is not only about visiting midtown which is dirty and expensive as well as wealthy neighborhoods. It’s about being close the the local people living and really experiencing the real New York so that maybe one day they will decide to move here.

  Comment added December 12, 2022 7:53pm

• Lall Bihari

  use these new rules are too stringent. It will not allow us to survive and do you need help to work this out with the city in support of Lido Park of chores and coming into the city

  Comment added December 13, 2022 6:53am

• IR

  As of 12/13/22 we have still not been able to procure copies of the 12/5 hearing on short term housing.

  Comment added December 13, 2022 11:25am

• IR

  Misterbandb.com a short term rental listing site which operates in New York City indicates they were not informed of either the December 5th hearing or this new January 11th hearing. How did OSE determine which parties to inform about these hearing?

  Comment added December 13, 2022 11:30am

• Jean-Francois P.

  To whom it may concern, I hereby state that my stay with my friends in a legal 2-family home that is owned by the hosts, was lovely.
  Having our own space was critical to our experience and our privacy.
  We were able to support local businesses in Brooklyn as well, businesses that we likely wouldn’t have otherwise discovered for sure.

  Comment added December 14, 2022 8:15am

• Anna

  Our air bnb is in our 2 family home. We have hosted grandparents visiting their new grandchild, nurses coming to NY to help during covid, friends visiting friends, potential NY transplants traveling to find a job, and tourists. There are no hotels near us in Brooklyn. These people use Air BNB to find affordable places to stay, pump money into the local economy, use Mass Transit, and provide income for people who live in NY – which ultimately allows them to contribute to New York’s economy. Regulating large operations in large buildings makes some sense but taking these opportunities away from 1-2-3 family homes and the people who stay in them seems like an irrational and irresponsible way of solving the problem of high rents in NY as it wont work to address the problem but rather create more problems.

  Comment added December 14, 2022 12:07pm

• IR

  Today is 12/15/22. 10 days after the 12/5 hearing the OSE still has not released the hearing transcripts as required by law.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 10:08am

• carlos decesped

  Many Small Home Owners are in Peril of Losing Their Homes because of the Restrictive and Complex Government Laws, and the Recessions that Plague New York City !!
  REPEAL THIS UNJUST LAW !!
  Many Small Home Owners Live or Die by the Meager Monies Gained from Airbnb !!

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:02pm

• Jennifer Ayres

  All my bills have gone up and pay has gone down. I need to be able to have a roommate sometimes to cover expenses. If you screw us we will not forget it

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:16pm

• LISA B HELLER

  These rules are unreasonable for New Yorkers who are not running illegal hotels and just trying to make a little extra money sharing space THEY OWN!

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:20pm

• Dharamdeo Bisram

  Although I understand the city concerns about the housing shortage , I strongly think the proposed rules are too draconian and too far ranging and allow no room to be flexible.

  First with the looming recession and thousands of apartments back on the market , you would most likely have thousands of empty apartments. This would NOT help the situation with the homeless because owners of such units will not rent to the homeless.

  Second, I think the rules should NOT apply to one and 2 family houses because these are usually shared by families and again would not be available to the homeless. It would only cause more suffering for landlords who already has suffered thru the Covid Crisis and would only cause undue hardships to owners.

  Once enacted these new regulations should be revised every year to reflect current conditions.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:22pm

• Alex Story

  These changes to Airbnb regulations would hurt me substantially and force me to sell my home. After I divorced, I managed to keep my home for my kids and not sell it by starting to Airbnb it on weekends when my children were with their father and staying with friends. I am an adjunct professor of ESL at FIT and LaGuardia. Unfortunately a teachers salary is not enough to live on and pay my mortgage. With these changes coming, I’ll be forced to sell my home and move my kids from their one source of stability and continuity – their home since birth. It’s a travesty that the hotel lobby is forcing so many families like mine to stop renting their homes and taking away our livelihood and upending our lives and our children’s lives.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:26pm

• josee kastleman

  It’s perfectly fine unless you have something to hide!

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:39pm

• carlos decesped

  Most Small Home Owners are Registered Democrats, and Depend on Their Elected Democratic Politicians to Help Them and Defend Them.
  Attacking Fair and Legitimate Organizations like Airbnb,
  will get “NO VOTES” for the Democrates !!
  The Democratic Party has Failed the Struggling Tax Payer !!

  Comment added December 15, 2022 4:53pm

• Sky Therese

  I have used Airbnb for the last 6 years to find sublettors for the 2nd bedroom in my apartment. I am a young woman and an artist living in nyc and Airbnb has made it infinitely safer for me to vet roommates and afford to stay in the city. This registration process is extremely prohibitive and I will continue to rent my apartment using Craigslist if the law goes through, albeit at a greater risk to my personal safety. It’s disappointing that this legislation is putting additional limits on freelancers/young/single (and many more) New Yorkers especially in the wake of a recession and a pandemic. It’s such a sudden added stress.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 5:00pm

• Kojo Frempon

  This is a terrible proposal! Do not let this pass!

  Comment added December 15, 2022 5:05pm

• jessica thornhill

  To Who it May Concern,
  My name is Jess and I am a full time working, only child who financially supports my aging parents. My mom lives with me 5 months of the year, free of course. AirBnB allows me to list my second bedroom the months my mom doesn’t live with me to actually help pay for my mom during the year. Please don’t take this away from us hard working citizens!! Thank you in advance for your time.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 5:23pm

• VLAD FILIPPOVICH

  This low hurts simple people like myself , who been resident in NYC for 30 years and loves traveling. With constantly rising cost of living in NYC , I am finding myself barely making it month to month , not mentioning travel. Airbnb allows me to be able to travel while guests can enjoy my place. Government should be supporting ordinally people to be able to support themselves instead of cutting down opportunities like this

  Comment added December 15, 2022 5:29pm

• James Johnson Junior

  This is wrong on so many levels. The city can’t do this to us. All my bills have gone up and pay has gone down. I need to be able to have a roommate to help cover expenses. Please don’t do this to us. Short term rentals have helped NYers have a better life and it has also helped tourism in certain areas in NYC that otherwise wouldn’t get any attention. Short term rentals is a good thing for NYC and its underserved communities. It is also a good thing for NYers and allows us to be able to breathe a lil better. This will only hurt us. I am begging whoever is in charge to reconsider. Please, please, please reconsider this rule because it will cause a lot of damage to our well being as well as the progress of certain communities. As a Black host, this feels like another restriction from the system to keep me down and at this point, is life even worth living anymore!?!? I’m about done with it all.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 5:40pm

• BREE SHARP

  This law seems to only take into consideration corporate hotels, not the life-long residents of New York City, who are happy to open their homes to travelers to give them a taste of local flavor, a comfortable home-away-from-home, as well as help us pay the ridiculous living expenses the city demands.
  I live in south Williamsburg. There are almost no hotels here, and certainly nothing affordable. When guests stay with me, they have access to a full kitchen, a dishwasher and washer/dryer, they get the comfort of a truly friendly home and host, the joy of hanging out with my pets when they are missing their own, and equally as important, they support dozens of local restaurants, shops and small businesses!
  In addition, Airbnb has introduced me to so many wonderful people from all around the world that I never would have met otherwise – I’ve had guests from all over the US, France, Spain, Italy, India, UAE and Tajikistan! People I’ve stayed friends with, and have gone on to visit and share *their* homes!
  It is such a wonderful community and New York City has no place trying to step on it. Please do better and think of your constituents, local businesses and the millions of people around the world that want to continue to enjoy this amazing network.
  We don’t need more laws protecting corporations!
  Protect us – the homeowners, the small businesses, the global melting pot – aka the *real* New York.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 6:02pm

• Christina Sidoti

  I love being a host. And my guests love staying with us. We have a small multi/two family townhome where I spend much of my day making things lovely and warm for our guests. And our guests come from all over the world, many with food restrictions (so they love having a little kitchen), many now having grandchildren in our area (Astoria) where there is not ONE not ONE hotel and even if there was it’d be likely cost prohibitive for most of these grandparents/travelers. Everyone is happy, I can pay my huge tax bill and insurance increases (due to flooding from city sewer lines backing up) and the city should be happy to have wonderful hosts like us who bring in lovely people from all over the world, maintain their home and their communities and my local business owners are so grateful for the Airbnb guests. There is so much wrong with this world, but this is not one of the problems, NYC should be dealing with rat issues, crumbling schools, infrastructure etc…Oh and we pay TAXES to the city for the Airbnb too! I have to draw the line in the sand now…too much stress and crushing citizens of expensive NYC is not the way to go about appeasing the hotel lobby groups. This will come back to bite.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 6:14pm

• Igor N

  The bill as written is draconian. The compliance of any Airbnb would be so difficult and subject to bureaucratic hold up, so it would kill short term rentals for all, even those who use it to make ends meet.

  I really have to question the motives of council members and would be curious to know how much they took in from Hotel lobby.

  If they really cared about rental shortage, they would go after rent control and rent stabilized apartments, multi unit commercial dwellings or illegal sublets.

  I read the document and could not even comprehend what it would take one to comply. It’s mind boggling and uses every excuse to deny a permit or imply on set a large fine.

  I hope council men and women read these comments and remember that they serve all New Yorkers, not a hotel lobby pushing this bill.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 6:17pm

• TC Safavi

  This will make it literally impossible for me, a working-class New Yorker, to pay my stratospheric NYC rent. If denied airbnb income on my spare bedroom, I will be forced to default on my rent payments or go into staggering debt just to finish out my lease. There is simply no way mere mortals can afford to live in this city without renting out every free inch to other people. I don’t understand why this legislation is so intent on kneecapping the working poor. Absolutely no one making under 100k a year will be able to live within 60 minutes commute of midtown if we are obliged to pay the whole rent of a whole apartment by ourselves. Why aren’t you spending this much effort to force more landlords into rent stablization? Literally, my only choice if this happens will be to move out of NYC.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 7:12pm

• Kathleen Ruoti

  I am a 73 year old widow and when my husband passed six years ago I turned a small cottage on my property on Staten Island into an Airbnb and do short term rentals. Along with my husbands SS check, my short term rental income really helps pay the bills. I am on the south shore of SI and there are no hotels near by. My guests from out of town come to visit their families, grandkids and friends. They support the local merchants, restaurants and visit the various historical sites that I recommend. I offer a personal touch to my guests helping them understand getting around NYC using mass transit that they would not get at a commercial hotel. Many guests have scheduled appointments with realtors looking for housing, thinking of moving back to New York. Please allow me to continue offering my little cottage on Airbnb. At my age, 73, I cannot just go out and find a job for extra income but can provide a comfortable place to tourists.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 7:39pm

• Peter

  It is really disturbing and mostly because it’s all because of the hotel lobby and corruption. Mr. Klossner should focus on other problems w the housing issues in the city. People who are doing this are doing it because mostly they have to not because they want to!!! They are creating revenue in local area supporting local business and mostly they need to after pandemic, which is my client base, trying not to ask money from the government to help w rent and end means monthly. It should be then done so the minimum nights it’s let’s say 3 nights and for the hotels maximum week. Because it’s all because of them mostly this bill. So do not destroy something which at the bed creates millions of $$$ for nyc and stop listening and taking money from hotel lobbyists and we know how much that is and it’s absurd. No one is doing anything which makes anyone in danger and only makes people to want to come to cities like nyc and enjoy time here and spend money!!! Not everyone wants nor can afford $500/night in 150feet hotel w roaches and molds in the rooms. Honestly be more humans then officers!! This could put out some people in deep danger, on the street etc. city can’t afford loosing people to their Apts! Rents are insanely high. So we have different issues. Please address these problems before making these very dangerous and one sided decision.

  Comment added December 15, 2022 10:08pm

• Ruver Fuentes

  I don’t think I take no one customer for someone; I live in Parkchester and is no one hotel at one mile around here.
  I live in my house alone and I have some time for one person for Airbnb, is not enough money to be rich, just to have a little help to pay your mortgage.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 12:56am

• Rachel gold

  So much for professing that government is for people by people !
  Government is for big hotel corporations not people . It’s not fair to restrict tiny little space we rent , compared with all big hotels luxury space that are so unaffordable.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 9:11am

• Katia R

  First of all , this tittle of “special office enforcement” is making us look like we are criminals here!! should change it, we are not criminals, and we are working hard here trying to make an extra income so we can survive here too, and bringing more business and money to the City, and giving people a chance and a way to be aboe to visit their relatives and touristing in a such an expensive City but most wanted to be visiting! Please don’t take the people their right to work for themselves, you shoukd find a way to help us too and not only being against us, we pay taxes too and we have the rights too not only big corps! The Mayor is focusing all his energy on this really??? You should focus more on the safety of this City clean, and many other huge problems out there!! A lot of already moved out of here because has been hard to live here, and we are here adding more to the City, and you are also trying to make us leave too!! Please give us support too!!! At the end of the day we ate voters too and we are many ok!! We appreciate you look more into what we are saying here! And to add, the world is in a financially crisis but people still want to have affordable staying options to be able to continue to do their vacations, please be considered , we are actually add great things to the City , and should actually exist a law to protect us not to go agains us!!

  Comment added December 16, 2022 9:39am

• CAM

  Let me start by asking, what has the city to lose if Airbnb stays? NOTHING. Instead they will gain extra revenues from tourism.
  What do we lose if Airbnb is gone? EVERYTHING.
  Yes, literally everything-our home, family, friends, community, etc.
  My family has a 2 family house in Queens which we were renting. To say the least, we had 2 big families (7-8 ppl) who almost made us lost our house. They stayed for 6-9 mos paying rent regularly and stayed more than year without paying. Did the city help or any of its agencies help? No. They said it’s our responsibility to choose who we want to rent our home to.
  We then decided no more renting. We want to keep our house for our children. That’s the only thing we have.
  During the pandemic, the city was begging nurses and doctors from other states or countries to help out. Airbnb opened its doors and we hosted nurses and doctors (for free) to help out. Did we flaunt what we did? No. We did it to help the city survive the crisis in our own way.
  I am an essential worker and our only means of survival during the pandemic.
  My husband lost his job and never got it back. Who would hire a 62 year old over workers who are 25-30? And, he worked in a hotel ( open now) which gave all kinds of reasons why his department won’t be in operation (yet). By the time they open my husband and his colleagues will be too old to handle the requirements of the job.
  Airbnb helped my family survive when all else failed us. This time, we are helping families afford to visit NYC for family events, personal travels, etc. which, they won’t be able to do if they stay in hotels.
  A family of 4 from NC came to visit NY for the first time. The mom said, they wouldn’t have been able to if they had to stay in a hotel because they would need 2 rooms. They plan to save up for the next visit. Those are the people AirBnb hosts. Not big corporate executives, businessmen, rich aristocrats or moneyed individuals. We host families that big hotels cannot accommodate because of their occupancy rules and extravagant fees.
  To the city council, what can you offer us? I’m done with renting out my place to people who rob us of our home. I’m tired of hiring lawyers to evict tenants who gets everything from the government and yet not pay their rent. I don’t want another person to turn our house into a party place or a recycling place.
  I don’t get as much money as renting out my place to a regular tenant but I know my home is taken cared of. That is how much my family love our home. To hurt it is hurting my family.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 9:51am

• Kate Jordan

  We lost our full time tenants during Covid. They stopped paying rent. We own a two family home in Bed-Stuy and this put us at risk of losing our home. Airbnb saved us. This law is a blanket solution that punishes homeowners and forces them to become landlords. Are you also going to force my tenants to pay their rent so I can pay my mortgage? Bring back 421(a), increase residential DFAR from 12-15 across Manhattan residential zoning to incentive more affordable housing development. Clawing back a few thousand garden apartments across Brooklyn will not solve your affordable housing crisis but it will hurt young families trying to make ends meet when living in a city with rising grocery and daycare costs.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 3:18pm

• Isabel Varela

  Imagine having over $100,000 in debt, working FOUR JOBS living in New York City, exhausted, sick, tired, having no time for friends or family, and STILL not having enough money. If it weren’t for AIRBNB, I would have NEVER been able to pay off my debt. If it weren’t for AIRBNB, I would have NEVER been able to help my family during a crisis. AIRBNB IS ESSENTIAL and a NECESSITY. I have been a host for nine years, and I have hosted over 700 guests worldwide. EVERY SINGLE guest has said, “if it wasn’t for the price of my rentals, they could have never afforded to visit NEW YORK.” Not only does AIRBNB bring tourism to NYC, but it also helps the local communities; it allows families to live and survive in one of the most expensive cities. The city has NO RIGHT to intrude into our homes and take away the means to make a living and survive in this city. How dare you do this during a time of inflation and a recession? The fact that the city is making us out as criminals is absurd. There must be a middle ground that is fair to everyone.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 5:48pm

• Jing Li

  Owning a house in NYC too expensive. Property taxes are so high. We need Air BnB guest’s help to help us pay some part of that and the same time we are flexible if our relatives/parents/oversea friends, come to visit. I think it’s great idea.

  Comment added December 16, 2022 9:20pm

• jessie davis

  Airbnb is keeping NYCs tourism industry alive. Most people can’t afford nyc hotel prices, plus nyc hotels are only located in midtown. Communities like Bedstuy, where most guests come to visit family or to work, or have a temporary place to stay while they find permanent housing, do not have hotel options. Airbnb not only supports nyc by allowing tourists to come to Brooklyn and other neighborhoods to support the local businesses. If you take away Airbnb more than half of tourists who come to nyc will no longer be able to afford to come.
  Not to mention this kind of monitoring is highly invasive and eludes to a future where our privacy and agency have been taken away.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 9:02am

• Marlon Thomas

  Using airbnb to sublet one room in my apt has allowed me to afford expensive nyc rent for years. I have been a working performing artist in nyc for 15 years. My work, my art, just like that of all artists in nyc, is what makes New York the vibrant, creative city that people love. Unfortunately art has always been undervalued, rent and food prices stay rising and I stay underpaid for my work and cultural contributions. I rely on Airbnb to afford the cost of living in nyc so I can continue creating and keeping nyc the vibrant cultural center of the world.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 10:03am

• G Matthew

  I have lived in Brooklyn for 13 years and been
  co-hosting and cleaning a short term listing in north Brooklyn for the last 3. There are no hotels in the immediate area and the short term rentals bring a great deal of business to local shops and restaurants. I rely on the extra income to stay on top of my own rather extensive bills/rent/etc. Please take these factors into consideration.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 12:44pm

• Tiffany Espinoza

  Rent is too damn high and salaries are another sad story in New York I use Airbnb as supplemental income (which I pay taxes for) but as a woman what about safety concerns letting someone in my home WITHOUT locks? There has to be men with no brains behind this to even consider it. We have so many other issues in NY than to focus on people renting out airbnbs

  Comment added December 17, 2022 1:54pm

• Kerri Mc

  I am a bartender in Manhattan and have been serving drinks to guests over 18 years in this city. Also I have been hosting for 9 years now and this little extra income keep me able to afford to live in Chinatown, where I can walk to my work every night instead of taking train in late hours which takes extra 2 hours of commute. By hosting, I don’t have to work over 40 hours of the week and also can take a few days off and go to vacation and rest my body. If you will take this from me, I have only one choice, I leave my home and have to move to a different city. Please don’t take this away from me.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 2:26pm

• MC

  I bought my two family in 2020 and started the necessary renovation. It was costly and much needed. One apartment is rented to long term tenants and the lower floor on the duplex I live in with my partner and my newborn stays empty when my family is not visiting from Europe.
  My family comes to visit and help with the baby about a month, three or four times a year so I cannot find a long term roommate but the occasional short term rental allowed me to take care of my baby when I could get paid maternity leave.
  It is not a full time business butt really helps with the cost of maintenance a 1910 home thanksgiving has been neglected for so long.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 2:37pm

• Lisa M

  While I agree there are some bad actors hosting in NYC, by far the majority of hosts are like me, renting a private room in their home and maybe the entire unit 2-3 weeks a year when they go on vacation.

  I have been a private room host for 7 years(Currently a Super Host) in the East Village ever since I became disabled & could no longer walk or stand more than a few minutes at a time. I have had no complaints from my neighbors, who I check in with a regularly. I have been renting the same apartment for 22 years but am now frightened I will lose my home.

  My helper lives a block away & my cousin lives in the building, so I staying in this location is vital to me. But because my apartment is rent stabilized, though I do not have a current signed lease, I know I will not be able to register for STR as the rules stand now. My landlord would love to make my unit open market as I am one of the few rent stabilized units left in the building. By actively informing Landlords about STR applications & giving them permission to deny STR, you are helping them turn-over units as they will know who will lose income & may no longer be able to pay rent.

  My apartment will never be rented again under rent-stabilization if I leave. It will immediately become open market, just like the other 6 apartments in my building in the last 8 years. Just 10 months ago a decades long tenant passed away, he was paying $730 under rent stabilization. His apartment was rented 4 months later for $3100. The landlord clearly did not follow the new capital improvement rules for raising the rent & the new tenant was not informed that the rent will be reversed once the Landlord recouped his capital improvement costs.

  By the way, I average $3400 a month over the course of a year. That is just enough to pay my rent/utilities of $2200, buy food, do the miscellaneous upkeep(cleaning/laundry) & pay my taxes. I am not getting rich here. I do not receive Disability, SSI or even SNAP. Airbnb is my only income.

  What plans are in place to help people like me once you remove the income that keeps us in our homes? Are we even a consideration for the city & our Mayor?

  Comment added December 17, 2022 3:56pm

• TUAN L.

  Throughout the spring of 2020, we could hear sirens blaring outside our windows as more and more of our neighbors were being infected by the virus. During this time of great despair, housing medical professionals was our only shining light.

  Our house is near Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, and even during the depths of the pandemic, we were offering our spare room to guests through Airbnb. We were ensuring doctors had a convenient place to stay and giving their families peace of mind that they were safe. While this was a difficult time, I learned so much about the bravery and selflessness of doctors and nurses. I’m very proud that we were able to make such a contribution when we felt otherwise helpless amid the tragedies surrounding us.

  My short-term rental helps not only medical professionals, but also patients and their families. They can stay in a warm, comfortable home while receiving medical treatment nearby. This allows patients to stay with loved ones and cook their own favorite meals, maintaining a sense of normalcy during medical procedures that have upended their lives.

  I’ve been an Airbnb host for almost three years now in this house where we raised our children and made New York our home. Just as the world has changed for many, hosting short-term renters over the course of the pandemic was a true whirlwind. I’m grateful our city has returned to more normalcy.

  Even though the pandemic has subsided, I continue to host health care professionals and patients seeking treatment. While we’ve seen our city come back and cases go way down, there is still a need for people to have access to our neighborhood. And even outside of medical care professionals, housing for visitors is a necessity. This isn’t midtown, we don’t have hotels, and tourists otherwise wouldn’t be able to stay here. People from all over come to visit their relatives and friends; they want to stay close to those they love and Airbnbs are their only option.

  And just as our neighborhood has given so much to us, we give right back to it. We encourage all of our guests to visit local stores and restaurants. Our guests are helping the local economy in the Bronx to thrive and we’re proud to show off the amazing family-run establishments in our area.

  Being able to rent my home out to visitors has allowed me to keep the lights on. It has provided financial relief to my family and for hundreds of New Yorkers across the five boroughs. With the city growing more expensive by the day and inflation driving the price of goods to an all-time high, hosting is the only way we can continue to afford to live. And I am sure we are not the only New York City family in this position which is why I cannot understand why our city government would prevent working people like myself from making a living.

  Last year, the New York City Council passed legislation that would make it nearly impossible for New Yorkers to rent out their homes for short stays.

  These new rules as the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) currently proposes, do not make a lot of sense to me or the other people who also host short-term renters. One part of the proposed rules would force us to list our address on a public website, which is hugely concerning for my family’s privacy. Not to mention, this office has a history of harassing innocent homeowners and imposes high fees without much of an explanation.

  These rules would be harmful to the local economy, tourism industry and everyday people who are just trying to get by. Given its history, it’s doubtful that OSE will truly hear us out but we must try, both for my sake and for the health care workers and patients who rely on my rental.

  I implore anyone who cares about the future of our city to listen and stand with us and not the hotel industry, who are clearly the only party to benefit from such draconian rules.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 7:17pm

• Gregory E

  I truly believe that New York City MUST support its voters and taxpayers. We give the city the opportunity to host more guests and tourists. We let the city earn millions and billions of dollars. WE PAY TAXES! But what do we get back from them? Only a humiliation to ask permission to have guests in OUR homes. What’s next? This is unacceptable!

  Comment added December 17, 2022 10:04pm

• Mike Harp

  My name is Mike Harp and I’m writing to you to ask for your support to amend Local Law 18 to ensure it doesn’t inadvertently harm 1-2 family home owners like myself who periodically rent out our primary residences to make financial ends meet.

  My wife and I are raising 2 young children in one of the most expensive cities in the world. We rent our Bedford Stuyvesant home on Airbnb 4-6 weeks a year to supplement our income and make it affordable to visit older loved ones during the holidays who live across the US and abroad.

  Renting our home for this short period of time each year does not impact the housing shortage, but it does make a massive financial difference for our family. It also brings incremental tourism revenue into our neighborhood from out-of-state and international visitors. I take great pride in actively promoting local businesses to our Airbnb guests, so they can also experience the thriving neighborhood and community I love versus only visiting the tourist destinations in Manhattan.

  I’m fully supportive of short-term housing regulation to stamp out illegal hotel operators and urgently address the housing crisis in NYC. I also have no problem registering my home to a Short-Term rental database.

  However, the current requirements within Local Law 18 if not amended, will create safety risks to NYC families like mine. The two most problematic Local 18 requirements are:

  1. Requiring short-term rentals have no separation of living spaces or locked doors between families and guests, thus making privacy and security risks a requirement to rent our homes.

  2. The requirement of stays of 30 days or more also increases the risk of squatter laws being used opportunistically against homeowners.

  The combination of the two requirements will dramatically prohibit homeowners like me from supplementing their family incomes in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

  Rather than penalizing homeowners like myself and making it harder for families to survive in NYC, the Office of Special Enforcement should explicitly go after the illegal hotel operators abusing Airbnb and other rental platforms by having multiple listings on offer, none of which are their primary residences.

  There are many families like mine in NYC who will be negatively affected by Local Law 18 without your support to amend these most onerous requirements and/or carve out an exception for 1-2 family homeowners looking to periodically rent their primary residences.

  Comment added December 17, 2022 10:38pm

• Laura Lopez

  Airbnb is not only a means to fulfill economic needs, but a powerful tool to create community and engage in a meaningful way in a city that needs it. I’ve met many friends by being able to open my house for them to stay in a safe way for both parties.

  Comment added December 18, 2022 4:13am

• Arnaud

  Me and my family came from France to NYC in the spring 2022. With 3 children, we were glad to stay in a large flat, nicely decorated, rented through airbnb in Brooklyn, rather than in a hotel which would have been more impersonal. We did shopping around and discovered Brooklyn deeply, which we would never discover so well if we just stayed in a hotel in Manhattan. We even discovered an excellent wine store and experienced delicious wine tasting where I discovered wonderful wines from chile at this occasion ! All the family keeps wonderful memories of our stay in NYC, and this kind of accommodation was clearly part of the success of our stay.

  Comment added December 18, 2022 4:31am

• JDC

  I own a single family home in Greenpoint, BK. Within my home, I have a space that I created for my in-laws to stay when visiting. I rent it on airbnb when my family is not staying. The extra income has been a lifeline for me, my wife and child. NYC is unaffordable, this is one chance we have to supplement our income to survive and remain in the city. Why does the city want to take it away? Why can’t we have a just a little? Why is the hotel lobby favored over the citizen? New Yorkers have been hosting boarders since the city was born and now no… Why? Greed. Airbnb is not responsible for the housing crisis. Removing my Airbnb will not add an apartment to the renting stock. Again it is a single family home that I live in. A few bad actors should be punished, but a blanket rule that apples to small family homes should not. A single family home should not have same rules as large buildings.
  Also, at times I have rented the entire house while on vacation— to pay for said vacation. Why can’t I manage my single family home as I wish? I am happy to register on some sort of list, but archaic, complicated and draconian rules that are simply created to make navigating and getting the listing approved infringes on my rights as a tax paying home owner and New Yorker.

  Comment added December 18, 2022 5:05am

• MEG

  Please amend Local Law 18 to ensure it doesn’t inadvertently harm 1-2 family home owners like myself who periodically rent out our primary residences to make financial ends meet.

  My wife and I are raising children in one of the most expensive cities in the world. We rent our Brooklyn home on Airbnb periodically to supplement our income and make it affordable to visit older loved ones during the holidays who live across the US and abroad.

  Renting our home for this short period of time each year does not impact the housing shortage, but it does make a massive financial difference for our family. It also brings incremental tourism revenue into our neighborhood from out-of-state and international visitors. I take great pride in actively promoting local businesses to our Airbnb guests, so they can also experience the thriving neighborhood and community I love versus only visiting the tourist destinations in Manhattan.

  I’m fully supportive of short-term housing regulation to stamp out illegal hotel operators and urgently address the housing crisis in NYC. I also have no problem registering my home to a Short-Term rental database.

  However, the current requirements within Local Law 18 if not amended, will create safety risks to NYC families like mine. The two most problematic Local 18 requirements are:

  1. Requiring short-term rentals have no separation of living spaces or locked doors between families and guests, thus making privacy and security risks a requirement to rent our homes.

  2. The requirement of stays of 30 days or more also increases the risk of squatter laws being used opportunistically against homeowners.

  The combination of the two requirements will dramatically prohibit homeowners like me from supplementing their family incomes in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

  Rather than penalizing homeowners like myself and making it harder for families to survive in NYC, the Office of Special Enforcement should explicitly go after the illegal hotel operators abusing Airbnb and other rental platforms by having multiple listings on offer, none of which are their primary residences.

  There are many families like mine in NYC who will be negatively affected by Local Law 18 without your support to amend these most onerous requirements and/or carve out an exception for 1-2 family homeowners looking to periodically rent their primary residences.

  Comment added December 18, 2022 5:09am

• Molly Picardi

  We are a family raising a toddler in New York City. We’ve been renting a unit in our legal two family in order to offset the cost of living in the city and to set aside money into a New York State college savings account for our son. Without this additional income the city will become increasingly unaffordable to families like ours.

  There are no local hotels available in our area and we regularly host both tourists looking for a quieter family friendly stay with more space and apartment amenities as well as folks who have family they are visiting in the areas. Our guests bring additional business to the restaurants, bodegas, and other businesses in our neighborhood.

  We hope to see this law changed as it is so damaging to our family and those like us who use short term rentals to make ends meet in a high cost of living city.

  Comment added December 18, 2022 4:36pm

• Philip

  Dear NYC.Gov,
  we are a b1-2 family dwelling in Brooklyn. We live in this place. We have two cats and a small backyard.

  Here is the thing – in 2023 we were abroad for 3 weeks in summer and we spent a week in door county in September. In that time we welcomed 3 families for a week each. These families were from Denmark, Australia and France and they came here for family reunions, to celebrate anniversaries or just to discover New York. Two of these families actually lived in New York in the past. They did not want to stay in hotels as for a family it is so much more convenient if you have the amenities of a home, if you can cook. And there is more money left in their budgets to spend in local shops, restaurants or New York amenities.

  And for us, it is fantastic to know that somebody lives in our house while we are abroad as these families were feeding our cats, watering the garden and making sure somebody would have been there just in case.

  It is a win win, our neighbors know and they are fine with it. It is a win for everybody. And as two of these three families rent out their own homes via Airbnb it would not stop if you put a law against it as this community would the. Simply change to do home swaps.

  So what’s the point? You are hitting the wrong people if you keep those included that live in the houses they rent out.

  Thank you for considering,
  Phil

  Comment added December 18, 2022 10:31pm

• IR

  On December 16th, former city council person Ben Kallos, was interviewed by Fox 5.
  In the interview Mr. Kallos states he wrote the local law 18 legistlation and provides his interpretation of the bill as saying that single families renting should not worry.

  He says:
  – “This is really only going after people who have more than one place”
  – “I dont think that we’re really focused on going after someone who is going away for a weekend”

  When asked by Fox reporters if families should be worried about renting out their home while going out of town, Mr. Kallos responded that the OSE and city should not go after those hosts. He says “they should not be worried”.

  Fox: “What you’re saying is that those family who have 1 place and want to rent it out for a weekend shouldn’t be worried that they’re going to be gone after”
  Kallos: “I wouldn’t be worried”

  Why are Mr. Klossner and the OSE interpreting the laws more strictly than the city council members who authored the bill?

  Unfortunately the NYC Rules website does not allow me to upload a copy of the video here, but you can find it on the Fox 5 youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GANfW00rFx8

  Comment added December 19, 2022 12:03am

• Fernel Valdez

  I am a user of one of these rentals in Brooklyn, I stay with my family in this area so we can visit close friends. It makes it possible for us by providing affordable prices and manageable distances for us and our children. That being said, our budget works for the community shops and restaurants in an area where there are not hotels.

  Comment added December 19, 2022 9:03am

• Louise Morgenstern

  I am writing to protest the implementation of Local Law 18 which would effectively remove the short-term rental option for visitors to the city, leaving us with only an expensive hotel option (and sometimes not even that, or not even in the NYC city limits.) I write as a user of short-term rentals, not an owner. I have used a short-term rental during the birth of a grandchild; unlike a hotel room, the space provided a place to house and entertain an older child. I have also used a short-term rental during the death and funeral of a family member as a gathering place–again, use that a hotel room could not have provided. I could provide scores of other examples. Obviously, these are not frivolous reasons. Short-term rental properties have a large and important role to play in the lodging landscape in New York City. Thousands of people like me depend on them. Take another look and try harder. Louise Morgenstern

  Comment added December 19, 2022 9:48am

• Nadia Carter

  When it comes to short term rentals in NYC, all I have seen is the positive aspects that it brings to families and businesses in the area. Small home owners are able to make income (that is reported) that helps them cover bills, maintain their home, and improve their overall quality of life. The businesses in the area also benefit because there are a variety of people who visit the area who would never have the need or opportunity to discover the real NY outside of tourist attractions. Now I understand there is an issue when it comes to affordable housing in the city, but that responsibility should not fall squarely on the shoulders of the small homeowner. The city should be supporting these individuals just like they supported making illegal basement apts up to code. The people who should be monitored and stopped are LLCs, hedge funds, and corporations buying up housing and using whole buildings for short term rentals that completely change the make up of a neighborhood. If the same energy was spent going after actors who have multiple properties that are solely for Airbnb then most people would be in agreement. It’s time for NYC to create laws to help small landlords and businesses that have suffered greatly during the pandemic from large landlords. Using short term rentals and enacting fair laws for small homeowners that will help them instead of punishing them can be the perfect use case.

  Comment added December 19, 2022 10:39am

• Julia Lintern

  We are asking you to reconsider this proposed legislation. Airbnb has provided our family with a financial lifeline. Both my husband and I found ourselves out of work the last few months, and Airbnb helped us get through (we would not have been able to pay our mortgage otherwise). I also believe Airbnb significantly impacts the financial ecosystem of outer neighborhoods. Our guests dine at the local restaurants at a much higher rate than a typical resident would, and this law would certainly have a negative impact on local businesses.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 12:32pm

• IR

  During her testimony at the 12/5 hearing, Assemblywoman Gallagher made a statement about there being thousands of Airbnb units in her district that were running out local families by removing critical housing stock. Reviewing the data on InsideAirbnb.com there are not 1000s of full unit listings present in Ms. Gallagher’s district and most there are hundreds. Individual rooms listed are higher, but do not impact housing stock as they would not be available to rent long term.

  Gallagher then proceeded to claim that Airbnb units in her distract can make over $425,000 per year in revenue per unit, higher than what long term rentals pay. She based that on the rate of $175 per night.

  Unfortunately, the esteemed assembly woman appears to have made a mistake in her math. $175 per night would at max be $63,875.
  You can find her testimony below or request a copy of the transcripts from the OSE by emailing [email protected]

  These types of exaggerated claims are not conducive to a productive debate on how to resolve the housing crisis in our city.

  If you we wish to improve the availability of housing in the honorable Assemblywoman’s district, we should enable more housing to be built quickly. We aren’t short of a few hundred units, we are short thousands of units. Banning STRs will be a drop in the bucket and only harm our city.

  Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher’s testimony:
  ===
  “With implementation of this rule, we can set up a fair and transparent system where everyone plays by the same rules right now we’re in a housing crisis, especially in my district that’s exacerbated by thousands of homes being held off the market for illegal, short term rentals in my district the average price is about 175 dollars per night, that means that for, for a year a landlord can make 425,000 dollars off of 1 apartment, whereas no one would be able to afford that rent at an average salary here in this district.”

  Comment added December 20, 2022 1:46pm

• Azy

  I am on disability. Renting part of my home allows me to stay in it.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 4:51pm

• carol

  My rent has increased tremendously in the past two years.
  I have been in the same apartment for the past 16 years but the owner doesn’t care. My new lease has an increase of $5,000 for the year!
  I am unemployed -my last position was as a contractor so I am not entitled to unemployment payments. No one will rent me an apartment because I currently have no income coming in except for airbnb.
  Without this monetary supplement, i could become homeless.
  Something has to give- either the city needs to become more affordable or airbnb needs to be legal and acceptable. Please help.
  All my guests are bringing money to the city- they shop, go to museums and theatre, restaurants, taxis, etc. Without airbnb, the city will lose alot of $$$

  Comment added December 20, 2022 4:57pm

• tj akin

  this attempt to kill us we are not doing anything wrong but trying to make a living . we all have the right to make living pls don’t Kill !!!!!!!!!!!! us

  we voted for a reason not to deprive of us from exiting !!!!!!!!

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:19pm

• Karen gruber

  I own my own townhouse since 2001 I raised my six kids in the home

  I live on the ground floor and rent thenoporr floors when my kids are not home from colleges and boarding schools

  I pay all gas snd electric and there is simply a locked door between the staircase of. Ground floor and the upper floors

  When the upper floors are not rented I move back upstairs snd ground floor is empty or my son comes home from his 300 square foot 6 floor walk up in Brooklyn

  My taxes are 7 k a month
  Chubb insurance is 5 k a month
  Water garbage tkts rodrnt poo tickets internet another 1 k a month
  Mortgage snd college tuitions another 15 k a month

  Without short term rentals I could not afford to stay in nyc or maintains the house

  Again I am a single mother with six kids 4 in schools and I bought the hone in 2001 expecting to own it forever

  Please do not hurt families like myself who this is my only residence I declare every cent I make snd pay taxes on it but I can’t get a license I might need and I can’t loose this income

  Karen gruber
  1646 659 9011

  Kmg

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:25pm

• Vivian

  I do not believe this is in the city’s best interest. I personally have spoken to many international tourists who specifically want a neighborhood location when visiting New York and this rule will severely hinder that ability – limiting to only rentals managed by property management or hotels away from neighborhoods like west village or greenwich.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:32pm

• Umberto P.

  I cant begin to describe how absurd this is. Your failure to understand how insane this proposed law is, is truly the most terrifying aspect of it all.

  We renting to families for holidays that bring money to our neighbourhood in Harlem has zero impact on the housing crisis. Nor does it divert money away from the hotel owners as most of these families cant afford to get 2-3 rooms in any hotel in the city. They just wont come. They want to be together/cook together and that is what our place provides. A chance for an affordable trip.

  Please stop this madness. No other city in the country is going this far. It’s embarrassing.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:35pm

• Yves Abel

  This law is terrible.
  Please do not enact this law. There is plenty of room for compromise, especially for single and two family homes…
  I urge the government to reconsider.
  Thank you.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:43pm

• Anderson Toney

  I live in my apartment and I enjoy hosting guests. This helps me pay my bills so I don’t become homeless.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:43pm

• Mark Kurtz

  I own a 2-family house in my neighborhood and I rent a unit to families on a short term basis. I am middle aged, and have no other source of income. I could not survive on full time rentals as the costs with tax, insurance, maintenance, utilities would prove to be too much and I could barely break even… If I am forced to sell, the house would not go into any pool of affordable housing. It would simply go to someone else with more money, who could better afford it. I guarantee you homeowners of two family houses first intention is not to be a charitable contributor of their space for low income housing.

  It’s not fair to blame someone like me on the housing problems in the city. Charge us an annual fee and make some maximum number of units that any person(s) or entities is allowed to rent. This will allow people like me to earn a living, and will eliminate bad actors who are doing this on a large scale with buildings, apartment complexes, etc. These are the situations, getting rid of large commercial investors, that may make an impact, but don’t penalize small homeowners like me who merely want to be able to afford to continue to live here.

  I think it’s insane that the city is literally dictating who I am allowed to rent to, when all my tenants are law abiding people and I take good care of my property and my guests are always respectful of the neighbors and neighborhood.

  The sharing economy with technology advancement is a progressive movement of the future: Ride share, home share, video share, companies like Uber, Lyft, Spotify, Turo; these have all emerged as game changing businesses and the huge demand for these services speaks for itself.

  The common thread is they allow everyday people to generate income in what is quickly becoming a gig economy. The data is clear that this is the direction the world is headed…

  I understand the need to protect the disenfranchised but let’s do it in a sensible way and not try a one-size fits all solution that throws the baby out with the bath water. There are a lot of small business like myself that will be badly hurt if this legislation passes without some kind of carve out for small business like myself.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:48pm

• Ozlem Arikan

  Hi
  I bought my house as an investment property and with my husband not working and unemployed our Airbnb is our primary income
  Please please don’t change the laws in NY city so we can continue our income
  Thank you

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:48pm

• Nam

  I have been doing short term rental with a 2 family to help pay for monthly expenses while taking care of my mother who have disability. A lot of people are traveling to NY to visit families and friends. They want to be in the neighborhood and walking distance to their relative. We are helping everyone and at the same time I can pay for expense and support my mother. Once you take it away I won’t be able to cover my monthly expenses. I do not understand how the govt/city can overreach and control what people can do with their non rent stabilized property. Soon they will dictate on what type of tenant and income we are mandated to rent to.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:50pm

• Henry Chen

  NYC should preserve the current Airbnb business, NYC should make policies to help encourage more Airbnb and NOT kill the business. Airbnb’s fill a gap that the hotel industry cannot, it’s for the tourists that come as families who needs a bigger place but don’t want to pay for three separate rooms at $350 each or the individual who just want a place to crash because they are traveling for work. My Airbnb guests are good people who come to NYC as tourists to spend money and enjoy travelling. They add to the city’s revenue.
  We are in a gig-economy. Finding a stable 9-5 is extremely difficult especially for the elderly or non-english speakers. My old parents do a wonderful job at cleaning Airbnb rooms and it gives them a good reason to work for 3 hours a day and have routine in life. Taking away Airbnb is not at all beneficial to the city.
  I am wondering as to why the City needs to add more regulations on short-term rentals as it is not dangerous, no violent crimes had been committed and no accidents have happened in the recent years in NYC. It is unnecessary to create policy to restrict something that is working.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:53pm

• Tasrina

  I live in a 2 family house in Crown Heights, Brooklyn with my husband, 2 kids and my 2 old parents (my father & mother). While I live on the 2nd floor with my husband and 2 kids, my parents live on the 1st floor apartment. My parents sometimes travel and in winter they mostly stay with my sister in west coast. That is the time I Airbnb the 1st floor apartment (since my parents are not there) and that is the only way I am able to subsidize my mortgage payment. Otherwise I would have to charge my parents a rent when they are both over 65, have no income plus my father has Alzheimer’s disease. By doing Airbnb for few days a month help my parents live in the house rent free, help with their groceries while taking NO government benefits. This rule will not only make my parents homeless (as I will no longer be able to house them rent free) but also they will have to figure out doing everything by themselves at this age and with an Alzheimer’s disease patient.
  On the other hand, hosting tourists at home drives income to the neighborhood groceries, delis and restaurants. By passing this law, the city will loose its revenue from tourism as at least 50% of these tourists who are staying in the Airbnb will not come and stay in a hotel. That way this law will not only affect host like me, but also the whole industry that generates money from these guests will suffer. Please look into tourism traffic data before and after Airbnb and you will see this for yourself.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 5:54pm

• Maxwell Evans

  The proposed changes are a sledgehammer to an issue that requires more nuance. There’s room to target the larger operators that are a threat to the hotel industry, and those that misuse rent stabilized apartments. While still enabling homeowners to use short term rentals to supplement their incomes, enrich their neighborhoods, and equitably distribute tourist dollars to all parts of the city. As currently structured the law only serves one constituency, the hotel lobby.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:02pm

• Luna M

  I live in Brooklyn in a 2-family house I bought with my wife. We’ve been hosts for the past 4 years, using the Airbnb rental income to cover our mortgage and other high expenses related to living in NYC. We are both freelancers so this additional income is vital to us as our professional income may vary with the state of the economy and we must also cover for expensive health insurance costs without relying on an employer’s plan. Renting our second unit long term wouldn’t bring nearly enough income to help cover these high costs, and the probability of having a tenant stop paying rent would be devastating for us and we probably couldn’t afford to stay in New York.

  We are immigrants with families and ties overseas. We decided to buy a 2-family house and chose to join Airbnb also for the flexibility it offers people like us. It allows us to welcome our friends and families in our home regularly, something we couldn’t do if we had to rent the unit to a full-time tenant. We’re not from a wealthy background so our families couldn’t visit us if we couldn’t host them. It would be detrimental to our family life and mental health not to be able to spend time with them.

  In addition, we enjoy the interaction with people visiting New York and we act as free “city guides”, encouraging visitors to go to local restaurants, museums and attractions, thus supporting New York’s economy at large. For example, a coffee shop that closed during the pandemic on our block was able to reopen thanks in big part to out-of-town visitors who stay in Airbnb’s in our neighborhood since the international travel ban was lifted. The presence of diverse and respectful visitors has improved the quality of life in our neighborhood by bringing in more business to local shops, restaurants and bars and a sense of heightened safety with more people walking the streets. Most of the tourists I have hosted had never stayed in a hotel in NYC before and often say they couldn’t afford to visit the city without Airbnb as hotel rooms are uncomfortable, often dirty and unpractical when you travel on a budget and can’t afford to eat out all the time. Like many other hosts who have commented, we also hosted nurses at a loss during the pandemic and often have guests who are visiting other family members in the neighborhood. We also pay our cleaning person – a local resident – $50/hour, a regular income she would lose and certainly couldn’t replace easily.

  This new law and regulations would impact the finances and quality of life of thousands of working- and middle-class families who have been working very hard to maintain their homes and whose future in the city will be in jeopardy. Punishing and making life more difficult and unaffordable for hard working residents is not the solution to the housing crisis in New York City. The city should invest our money more wisely and target hosts that operate entire Airbnb buildings instead of small homeowners of single and 2-family homes. Targeting the landlords of rent-stabilized units who have been warehousing tens of thousands of rent-stabilized apartment (over 60,000 since last year) would be a much better investment of our tax dollars.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:03pm

• Amy

  Dear Mayor Adams,
  Having the ability to do a short term rental via the Airbnb platform, for my home in New York City, makes a tremendous difference for the lives of me, my family, friends, and visitors to New York. I travel with work, or to see my family and being able to rent out my place to tourists that have families in my local neighborhood and economically bolster my local neighborhood, covers for my increasingly expensive rent in this city.
  I wasn’t able to afford my own place until I signed up with Air BnB, an issue many people in this city have because they cannot afford the soaring prices of New York City that affect the lower and middle class the hardest.
  I went from living paycheck to paycheck with roommates, being broke, and having high credit card debt so I could afford the basics, having student loans, and sometimes not knowing where my next meal would come from, to being able to have some more financial stability because of Airbnb.

  I voted for you, though unlike the hotel union and lobby, I did not have millions of dollars to contribute to your campaign. But I believe my vote did count to get you elected mayor of the city and I was happy to see you get elected. You ran on helping lower and middle class New Yorkers get back on their feet in this post pandemic world, where things have changed immensely and now things are even tighter in this recession.

  This new law, preventing short term rentals will hammer the New York middle and lower class, the people you promised to help, and only benefits the wealthy hotels who already have exorbitant amounts of revenue. This law is squeezing out the little New Yorkers who claw every day to try to make ends meet in which is now the most expensive city in the world as well as visitors to the city, who want to visit the beautiful New York, but must do so on a tight budget.
  Visitors with a tight budget are able to stay in a home where they can do laundry and cook and spend time together which they cannot do in expensive hotel rooms.

  I strongly urge you to re-look at the proposed legislation, as well as look at the outdated rules of short term rentals in rental unit buildings. We are on the verge of 2023, life, technology, culture and our economy has changed in ways people could not foresee in decades past.
  We live in new times and we need adaptable leaders who understand those new times and genuinely want to help the average citizens of their city and not continue to create a massive wealth gap in molding New York City to be only a place of for rich and powerful and where everybody else scrapes by with very little or sleeps on the sidewalk in a cardboard box.

  Respectfully,
  A Concerned New Yorker

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:08pm

• Nikolai kokanovic

  As a resident and home owner in NYC this new law would make my life in the city close to impossible. Given the uptick in current hosing prices feel the necessity to voice my concerns again this passing

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:15pm

• Daniel Queiroz

  This is very wrong. By renting my apartment occasionally, I’m actually contributing to the neighborhood and bringing new people in. I recommend restaurants and places to my guests and they love the unique type of experience that only an Airnbnb host can deliver.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:20pm

• Rene Van Wonderen

  These proposed changes are hurting the parts of short term rentals that are beneficial for both home-owners and visitors to the city that require this type of living situation. We own a small 2 family property in Bedstuy. We live most of the year in Apt 1, but, often travel overseas for a portion of the year as well, and if the proposed rule was to go into effect, apt 1 would have to remain completely empty, during this time. With a loss of income to ourselves (which helps pay our mortgage), and also the area and businesses in which we live. Apt 2 of our property, is occupied by our parents who visit the city for 4 months of every year. If I am unable to continue to rent this short term in the times outside of those 4 months, again, this apartment will be sitting empty, for two thirds of the year. When travelers who need a space with a kitchen/washing machine/visiting friends and family in the area could be using it. And all in a district which has no hotels.
  I’m all for changes that rectify the negative aspects of STR, (people running them as a business/taking full time rentals off the market) but this proposed law does not do this whatsoever, and instead is hurting the people who have a legitimate need for this service.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:21pm

• Ayesha

  I do agree that those who run multiple Airbnb’s in large buildings shouldn’t be allowed to do that. I see how that can be very disruptive to NY’s rental economy and also not be a great experience for a guest. I have stayed in a home run by someone with various listings in North Carolina and the experience was subpar.

  However, those who own 1-3 family homes and are doing Airbnb to offset their mortgage, save money, not feel like they are completely drowning with bills. That’s something completely different.

  It’s also a very different experience as a guest when you stay with someone who lives in and hosts you in their own home. They provide an intimate understanding of the city to the guest. It is an opportunity to form relationships and for true cross cultural understanding.

  It also makes sense for a those who do own 2-3 (and live in) apartment homes to prefer to do Airbnb. Guests tend to be really good and follow rules. Wheras as a landlord you are liable for so much under NYC current rental laws. It’s not just about money month to month. It’s scary to think that you have to continue house someone who can no longer pay rent, especially if you live with young children and you depend on rental income to keep your own finances in check.

  To offset new housing regulations that NYC has on small landlords, NYC should also educate tenants on how to be good neighbors and tenants. You wouldn’t believe how many tenants feel entitled to smoke in the hallways; blast music at all hours; make partial payments on rent; not recycle; don’t clean up after their animals; etc., etc,. Etc. What can a landlord do to remove them or make them accountable for that behavior? Pretty much nothing.

  Here’s some thoughts:

  1.Please educate NYC tenants on how to manage finances and be good neighbors.

  2.Target large landlords who have “investment” properties that they don’t invest in. 3540 – 3530A on Carlisle place in the bronx is an example of such a building. The Landlord received all kinds of subsidies from the city to make the building and now he treats it like a landfill. Terrible for those who live there and those who walk past the place every day. It has destroyed the character of the street.

  3. Make buildings in empty lots — theres so much underutilized land in the north east bronx. Build middle class housing in “low class” neighborhoods to create dynamic neighborhoods.

  But please do not blame the housing crisis on small 2-3 family home owners who live in the home and host to cover the mortgage.

  Doesn’t the city have bigger fish to fry?

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:21pm

• Ruby Millien

  I’m a native New Yorker, born and bred. I spent 2 years away at college (in Atlanta) and returned a single mom, with my newborn and continued my studies at FIT on 27th Street. Three years later I received both my associates and bachelors degrees. By year 2 at FIT, I had already joined the workforce. I lived on my own and sometimes with family (in Hells Kitchen, Spanish Harlem, Harlem, Washington Heights, Marble Hill and Gun Hill Rd). In that time frame, I applied to over 300 apartments, from ads I pulled from the Post or the Daily News. First of all it was a lottery and second I never quite qualified for subsidized housing because my household income of 18k, 24k, etc. was deemed too much for my 2-person household. Yet, rent was already like 40-45% of said salary. It always was the same… I always slightly exceeded the bracket for Mitchell-lama properties. No exceptions. Finally after 10 years of struggle and saving I put roots down… I brought my first home in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. I come from immigrant parents who too worked hard. So my home was a dream come true. However, as expenses continued to rise my salary at WNET/PBS, a non profit, was no match.
  I found Airbnb in 2014; just as I thought I’d have to sell my home to pay down the revolving debt that controlled my paychecks. I’d get paid, pay my credit card (100% on time) and then immediately turn around and use the same cards to buy groceries, cover transportation fees, pay utilities, etc. and worst of all my daughter was now in high school on scholarship. Her scholarship covered half her school fees. I found Airbnb at a time when I was drowning in debt, covering tuition for a good school that didn’t need metal detectors and wondering if I was more valuable dead. Yes, she could’ve gone to public school; I’m aware my taxes are somewhat allocated for that. But her zoned school spent an entire school year calling her name for attendance.
  I submitted documents from her actual school on multiple occasions and yet no one bothered to take her off the list.
  Airbnb gave me breathing room to actually buy groceries without paying interest that capitalized monthly. I was able to buy a metrocard using my bank card. Using funds in my bank account. It gave me an opportunity to pay down my debt, to pay my utilities on time and in full.
  I am forever grateful to Airbnb. I shared my home with people from all over the world. I’ve listened intently as people of different ethnicities and religions described their culture to me. I’ve even been honored with guests who return and stay with me again. I’ve taught my daughter perseverance and what it truly means when people say, “if you can survive in NYC, you can survive anywhere!”

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:28pm

• Yuko torihara

  I offer safe short term housing for women traveling alone in the city for a reasonable price. I have done this for 10+ years and it has given a safe haven to many women.
  The city has no right to take away our right to sublet our own space. We are law abiding New Yorkers who continue to weather the financial demands this city puts on us. Please make this stop.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:36pm

• Roberto G

  I live in a small two family house in Brooklyn. I rent out the studio apartment for short periods so I can have the flexibility of blocking it when my adult children visit me. I also receive other family members and friends that visit me from overseas. When I make it available, I frequently host people that come to the neighborhood to visit their relatives and there are no hotels near by.
  I can’t rent the apartment for long periods because I would lose the flexibility of receiving my kids. I also can’t really afford to have it empty the rest of the month since I’m paying a mortgage.
  I’d like to continue renting the studio for short periods. It’s important for me and it’s useful for my neighbors.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:43pm

• Renee Ippolito

  The reason I decided to become an Airbnb host was because I had a very bad experience with a long term tenant. My former tenant was a drug addict (That I wasn’t aware of until after he moved in). He paid rent for the first 3 months after he moved in, then didn’t pay rent for the following 27 months & in addition, he intentionally destroyed things in my home. He was a professional squatter. He went from home to home living in people’s homes until he would finally get evicted. NYC apartment rental laws are for the tenants. It can take as much as two years to get tenants out for non payment. By then, landlords can lose their homes to forclosure. This is why I no longer am will to rent to long term tenants. Unless they impose stricter laws for non paying tenants, they should not stop us from hosting short term stays!

  Comment added December 20, 2022 6:47pm

• HB

  Airbnb saved my life , this extra income to pay all my kids expenses and our mortgage it’s a life changer, as a New Yorker , life became unaffordable with just two incomes , our family relay a lot on our short term rental income, our clients enjoy their stay in our flat , they love the share of culture and the neighbourhood , the real life of newyokers , I don’t understand why NYC is making it hard for us as citizens and for the tourists , it is absolutely not fair if they apply this new rules .

  Comment added December 20, 2022 7:02pm

• KH

  I vehemently disagree with this proposed rule change. If the legislature is truly interested in remediating our growing homelessness epidemic, it should severely punish holdover tenants and squatters who exploit rules and fail to pay rent. Owners of two family homes seeking to supplement mortgage payments have no confidence in this flawed system and have flocked to AirBnb as a refuge. If this is voted for, hosts will unionize and kick the bums out.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 7:03pm

• Monika

  This new rule will hit lower and middle-class homeowners and tenants who can barely afford the costs of living in NYC anymore. Airbnb has been a silver lining for many hard working and tax paying small homeowners of 2-family houses like me. I live in a low to medium income neighborhood where many single and 2-family owners can only afford to maintain their buildings and livelihood by renting their extra space short term as it offers a higher and “assured” income. I couldn’t afford to have even one month payment default from a tenant, especially with the inflation and crazy increases of utilities, health insurance and costs of living in general. Imposing these new rules and forbidding small homeowners to rent their own homes short term is going to dramatically impact the livelihood of thousands at the worst time possible with high inflation and a possible recession. Airbnb hosting has been a boon to the recovery of the city this past decade. Hosts have been able to make some extra money without which they couldn’t afford to live here, and businesses and the city have been able to collect millions of dollars from a rising number of tourists who would never visit the city if it weren’t for short term rentals like Airbnb, making some neighborhoods safer by bringing in more people on the streets and to local businesses. These new rules will only serve rich people (residents and tourists alike) and the hotel lobby won’t even be able to benefit as much from it as many tourists visiting New York now, often entire families, can’t afford to stay in hotels or just won’t like the limited amenities they offer. Please reconsider that ill-advised rule.
  As we live in a free market country, this law also feels very un-american and counterproductive. The competition Airbnb provides is very beneficial to the city and the tourism industry as it will push hotels to improve their amenities and pricing. Everyone should have a chance to make a buck to survive in this city, not only corporations and the hotel lobby. Please stop preying on the middle and working classes and don’t dictate how people live in and use their own property.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 7:09pm

• Denise Hurlburt

  I have been a part of the Airbnb community since 2009, traveling and staying as a guest in various cities. My reason for staying at Airbnb rentals is due to wanting to “travel like a local” and at an AFFORDABLE price. As you know, hotels take advantage of travelers by overcharging a ridiculous rate.
  Since I began as an Airbnb host in NYC in 2020, I have always lived in my dwelling, on site, in the second bedroom, while my guest(s), stayed in the Airbnb guest bedroom. I have always lived on site and have never had multiple properties.
  My reason for being a host in NYC for Airbnb is because it greatly helps me financially, to live in this overpriced city and to pay for my life. The life that requires, paying for a very high rent, food that is overpriced, bills and on top of that, New Yorkers have the luxury to pay to LIVE IN THIS OVERPRICED CITY.
  By no means am I getting wealthy by renting my second bedroom to travelers. I put in a ton of time and care to keep my property exceptionally clean and provide a personable experience to each traveler. I am a single individual who has a $2375 monthly rent. Do the math. That is almost $30K per year. My Airbnb doesn’t cover all of that. On top of my ridiculously high rent, I pay for electric, wifi and food. As you are aware, the cost of food in NYC is absurd and those prices have only gone up!!!!
  Secondly, having Airbnb helps me to avoid living with crazy roommates and keep my mental state at a good level. In my time in this city, I’ve had the displeasure of having to move from 2 properties due to individuals who had no regard for the space we shared, rules, or anything.
  I can think of a multitude of issues that the city of NYC should concern themselves with –
  1.) Renovating run down, boarded up properties that leave neighborhoods in disarray
  2.) Providing affordable healthcare ($560+ per month on a premium + a $5K deductible is NOT affordable
  3.) Provide more affordable housing so that the citizens don’t have to be so dependent on additional streams of income, JUST SO THEY CAN LIVE in this city!!! I’m certain the city is aware that they have priced out thousands of individuals who can barely afford to live here. That’s why NYC is a “renters city”.
  4.) STOP taxing people to LIVE IN THE CITY OF NYC!!!!! This city isn’t even safe. Where does this tax money that you hit us with go?? It doesn’t go to providing a SAFE OR CLEAN CITY.
  By creating these “laws” you are indirectly affecting thousands of people who have come to rely on their Airbnb rentals to be able to afford their life in this city. Stop exploiting people who work hard and are just trying to get by here. It’s not fair to put us under a microscope and find issue with hosts when there are millionaires and billionaires who don’t even pay their taxes, yet get away with it!! Furthermore, HOTELS are the problem. Start finding fault with them, not the little guy!!
  If Airbnb is taken away, I will find my way out of NYC. Please, stop trying to infringe upon the finances of honest individuals.
  Thank you,
  Denise Hurlburt

  Comment added December 20, 2022 8:08pm

• Alyssa A

  As a person with a disability, I use income from Airbnb to help pay my rent. I can’t afford it without Airbnb guests. Additionally, I’ve found that all my Airbnb guests are so grateful to stay in an affordable, comfortable home and get the “real” NYC neighborhood experience. Please do not take away this away this supplemental income from hard-working New Yorker’s and tourists on a budget.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 8:45pm

• Regina N

  Since I have been doing Airbnb I have been able to pay my morgage . We are in the middle class in NyC has become more and more expensive.
  Please do not take this income from us .
  As an immigrant and a single lady in the city , Airbnb has helped with added income .

  Comment added December 20, 2022 8:59pm

• Lei chen

  Convenient for some people visiting their relatives and no room stay. (Local)

  Comment added December 20, 2022 9:14pm

• J

  I feel like our voices are not being heard. Honestly, we voted for lawmakers to have our backs & vote on issues that actually matter. But, they just seems to out of touch and do not grasp what low-middle class people have to deal with. Between inflation, utilities, gas, groceries & etc going up in price and no help from the city or state.

  This proposed law SHOULD NOT be applied to 2 family homes. I’m living paycheck to paycheck and taking care my disabled family members. Doing Airbnb, has helped me be able to pay the bills (from mortgage, basic utilities, & food on the table).

  Comment added December 20, 2022 9:22pm

• Jack Neiman

  We are dissatisfied with the City’s plan to restrict owners from renting short term.
  The income we earn is a necessary part of our income.We have children in school and pay high tuitions.It will be very difficult to make ends meet.
  We read that tourists should go to hotels.Very few of our guests could afford to go to hotels.The City is perpetuating a situation here only the wealthy will be able to take a vacation or come visit New York City.
  Students and low income earners will have to stay away.
  Short term rental hosts provide a necessary service.
  Nobody gets rich from hosting short term guests.We do it out of economic necessity.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 9:29pm

• Violet Simpson

  The restriction relating to Short term rentals is unfair, disappointing & unjust. I am a senior citizen & rely on my airbnb listing to supplement my day to day existence financially.
  If the option of renting my space is affected by these restrictions, I’ll end up in poverty & homeless.
  Please, please, I implore the powers that be to reconsider this restriction & help us, especially us seniors who rely on short term rental fees to buy food & help pay our bills.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 9:39pm

• Ant

  NYC your making a big mistake here!
  This is another strike at the diminishing middle class here.. can’t you see you all the good hard working people leaving to states like Florida.. oh but the criminals get a pass and are back on the streets.. but we can’t have a little side business to pay our mortgages in our small 1-2 family homes. Complaining about there isnt enough affordable housing but accepting loads of illegal immigrants every day.. NYC DROPS THE BALL ONCE AGAIN!!

  Comment added December 20, 2022 9:49pm

• Emmanuel Odogwu

  Dear Mr. Mayor,

  Please I strongly urge to restrict my ability to use my house the way I see fit especially in the difficult economic situation. Sir I understand that the Hotel industry has the financial ability to set the rules against home owners. But Sir I believe that you are our major today to protect us as ordinary New Yorkers. Sir, as you are aware it is destructive to home owner to force them not share their own homes as they choose. Please do not listen to the Hotel industry. Stand for ordinary people like me.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 10:03pm

• Tiziana Rinaldi and J.T. Lewis

  It is unjust that this might happen. Our guests, most of whom are able to travel because lodging is so less expensive than checking into a hotel, bring business to the neighborhood and to the city at large. This law might reduce tourism; through Airbnb rentals, entire families are able to travel, even from overseas, who could otherwise never afford the same trip if they would need to budget into their expenses also the hotel rooms for every member of the family.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 10:42pm

• Sean

  While I can appreciate the feedback/comments by those in office that have identified affordable housing issues, and is in support of the extreme modification to the short term rental laws in an attempt to address that problem. Taking what seems to be a draconian approach to law making feels over reaching and seems like it is aimed at more than addressing affordable housing or safety. I may be wrong about my this, but I encourage law makers to really ask themselves, are all of their requirements aimed at solely addressing affordable housing and/or safety? Solutions should be intuitive to problems. Band aides stop bleeding (solutions/problem). Warm coats help keep the body warm in the winter. Those are solutions intuitive to problems.
  I must say I’m struggling to apply similar reasoning here though. Why can’t home owners lock their doors when guests are present? Why do homeowners need to be in the home (24 hrs/7days a week) when guests are present? These proposals seem disingenuous, and not aimed at addressing affordable housing problems. However, they do seem aimed at benefiting the hotel industry. I say that because it’s easy to presume that both guests and home owners will likely not be fully comfortable without that sense of privacy that those laws eliminate. If the hotel industry sees airbnb as a “problem” (because of competition), then it becomes quite clear how those particular short term stipulations help solve some of that problem for them.

  If by chance, those rules are moreso aimed at addressing neighbor/community feedback of possibly bad guests, then I think there are alternative ways to reasonably and amicably address that. I’ve been a NY’r all my life. This city has always been one in which supported creative and safe ways to make ends meet in one of the most diverse and expensive cities in the nation. Airbnb provides a platform whose theme feels like “New York”…creative. Providing a means for average folks to gain a little piece of the pie while stimulating an entrepreneur mindset, and providing additional income to help maintain, and even marginally get ahead. That, to me, is what NY has always been about. Let’s reason together and genuinely “aim” for favorable outcomes for all.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 10:54pm

• Jack Mayberry

  To be able to offer our apartment to others visiting New York while we are not using it benefits the city, by increasing the places where visitors may stay, benefits visitors by providing a full apartment so that visiting families may enjoy a private home and may prepare their own meals rather than relying solely upon restaurants, and benefits us as apartment owners by providing some revenue with which to pay New York’s property taxes and utilities and insurance costs. My wife and I own a brownstone with two duplex apartments. We often use both apartments when other family members or friends are visiting New York, but sometimes we have one available to other visitors for short-term stays. It may be that the hotel industry dislikes the competition that short-term private rentals offer, but the competition is likely, as it often does, to spur the hotel industry to provide better and more affordable service. Short-term rentals are a boon to the city, its residents and its businesses. It should be encouraged, not outlawed.

  Comment added December 20, 2022 11:23pm

• Pet

  While others in the city, politics and public figures are in problems w the law making criminal activities stealing money, this platform is trying without real criminality just help each other and use this platform to survive in these unprecedented times in one the most expensive city in the world listing i take care off is one the highest valued by guests and helping local businesses and communities in Harlem without any disturbance or unlawful action in the building or neighborhood at all. Why we do need to get panished without any reasonable negotiation and why the rules doesn’t have minimum stay f.e 3 or 4 nights starting so that case doesn’t hurt the hotels which are the biggest problems at this moment and are the biggest lobbyist against this site. this radical changes will not only impact harmfully hundreds but also impact the city in long term and will be loosing millions of $. This will also not get people stay in hotels they will just not do that so if this is the way why to get guests in to the hotels then its not going to happen. So please think about it not twice but several times because its not going to help but hurt. Lets find a compromise not too find a direct “nazzi” ruling!!!!most of us doing this not because they want but because they NEED!!!!

  Comment added December 21, 2022 3:50am

• heather lowe

  I have been screwed renting out my apartment to tenants .a tenant stayed in my place for 1 year and did not pay. air b and b allow me to pay my mortgage as I am on a fixed income. please do not change the rules. Help

  Comment added December 21, 2022 4:00am

• Eduardo

  Please consider there’s people having 3 jobs already and using their place as a source of income to pay the rent or continue to study.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 6:26am

• Mory Traore

  Dear Mayor. I hope this finds you well. I have a wife, 2 daughters and a son. We all depend on my airbnb income because I lost my job during Covid lockdown and life has never been the same since. We will be in the streets the moment we stop hosting on airbnb so please find it in your heart, as I know you are a compassionate person, and don’t throw our family and so many others in the streets. Dont NYC have enough homelesses already? Thank you so much and have a wonderful Wednesday.
  Mory

  Comment added December 21, 2022 8:35am

• Christopher Fernandez

  It is very simple: if I cannot rent out this extra room to guests time to time I will have to leave this apartment and move out of NYC. I love this city and I love being its ambassador when I am using my best hosting skills to offer unique visit experiences to visitors. If I loose this, I won’t be able to stay in the most expensive city in the world. And this would be so unfair from our legislators.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 9:26am

• W.W.

  I hope the city is actually reading these comments and taking note. Every single one of these comments is in opposition to what the city is trying to do.

  Please go after the bad actors. The people and companies who rent 40 apartments in the city. Do not go after the hard working people of 1 and 2 family homes in the outer boroughs who only want to be able to rent a spare room or mother-in-law unit to help make ends meet. There is a clear distinction and the city can make it. There is no need to paint every Air BnB host with the same brush.

  I don’t think most people would be opposed to the registration even. Regulate it. Have hosts get permits to be able to rent their homes. But if you remove all Air BnB listings from NYC, the city will be making a tremendous, short sighted mistake.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 10:20am

• Jody R

  As many people here, I own my single family home in Flatbush Brooklyn, an area that is underserved by hotels. I started renting a separate part of our house on Airbnb after my divorce, when I became a single mom. I would not have been able to afford living in the house without the supplemental income earned from Airbnb. My kids and I would have been displaced. Many of my guests have family in the area and want a home away from home within walking distance of their family while visiting, as well as lower rates than they would pay at a hotel further away. Airbnb guests also support the local economy. We provide guests a list of local eateries, shopping, and cafes. The current system is win-win-win for all involved, except for the large corporate hotel chains/hotel union and lobby. As a single Mom, I feel safe renting my space short term on Airbnb precisely because the guests are screened in advance, the stays are covered by insurance, Airbnb offers tremendous support, and the guests stay in a separate area of the house with their own entrance. We keep our part of the house locked and I sleep well at night knowing my kids and I are safe. The suite is still under the same roof and is very much a part of the house which is also my primary residence. It just also has a separate entrance and it’s own bathroom and kitchenette. It is ideal for couples and small families. The proposed rule should not be applied indiscriminately to 1-2 family homes with a single Airbnb listing in the outer boroughs of NYC. It’s hard enough for middle income folks to survive in NY – why make it harder by implementing a rule that will only hurt us and local economies we are supporting?

  Comment added December 21, 2022 10:50am

• jay*

  The rules and regulations is very unclear. When you read and analyze the proposed bill, it is very OBVIOUS that it will only benefit the big corporations in NYC (REITS, Hotel Owners, etc.) and leaving the small guys like us in the gutter.

  The proposed law is unfair for small to middle income people like us. Please just target people with MULTIPLE listings in ONE PROFILE and not individual listings. Because most often than not, the people that list individual “Entire Places” or “Private Rooms” are the ones trying to make ends meet and get extra income from this platform.

  We are not a big corporation. We are simple individuals that are trying to make ends meet and make extra income here in this very expensive city. We also PAY our income TAXES (from Airbnb) when its due, so what is the point of making these things more complex. We wish that our hard earn tax money that we pay, goes to the cleaning up the streets with homeless people and promote more policing to make our streets safer instead.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 10:55am

• DPF

  Airbnb’s are such an important part of traveling and immersing oneself in the culture of the city. The travelers who book my space are not the same travelers who would book a hotel. Why can’t we have different types of hospitality experiences that coexist? This is also necessary income for so many New York creatives who add culture and art to New York City. Taking away our ability to rent out our spaces is another way of allowing gentrification to wash over the city and displace the people who are an integral part of our culture. It’s a disgrace, I am Nyc born and raised but as an artist I have to find creative ways to pay my rent. This law is a threat to my livelihood – this law could cause me to loose the ability to pay my rent and then what? Be replaced by some banker from Wisconsin? That’s not the New York I want to live in.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 11:00am

• Benjamin

  I live alone. There are no measures in place to prevent my landlord from raising my rent. I have an extra room that I put a lot of money and effort into making into a short-term rental.
  I meet many of the qualifications required – I am present when the place is rented out, I am not an illegal hotel operation.
  But many of the aspects of this new system – the registration, the floor plans, the ban on rooms/areas that are kept private from guests, these things are all going to make it impossible for even the -right- kind of airbnb to exist.

  Please rethink this or loosen the criteria for people like me who are not buying property off the market to rent for profit.
  I am literally just trying to make my apartment of 10 years more affordable.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 11:17am

• Vlad

  New rules are outrageous. Due to health issues I have to leave my apartment several times a year for a week at a time. Airbnb is the only way I was able to pay my rent (which went up again this year). NYC and mayor Adams should focus their attention on real problems like implementing stricter rules against landlords. Airbnb is NOT the reason why rent goes up every year.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 11:41am

• Cando Wango

  To whom it may concern: It is vital that a recognition is made for homeowners trying to pay a mortgage. In NYC, the tenant laws have become a nightmare for a homeowner. Everything from the NYCHA Section 8 program to standard renting has been aligned heavily with the tenant in mind and little to no alignment with the homeowner. When we get a tenant into our homes, we have very little recourse when they stop paying rent, or become a significant nuisance to our homes and neighbors. We are stuck with months of our mortgages going unpaid and a real chance of forclosure on our most prized possession. The airbnb model allows up to going into very short term agreements, and provides the ability again for the homeowner to own their home and only rent out to renters on a prepaid basis. We strive to have very mutual beneficial rentals with the vetting of id being handled through a robust software mechanism. The system leave virtually no risk and little liability for the renter and the landlord. I implore you all to realistically look at what NYC homeowners are subject to, and please give us something we can count on. Changing the NYC Landlord Tenant System has not happened in many years and based on the bureaucracy of this city system, i don’t think it will change. Please Allow Homeownership to become affordable for struggling homeowners like myself. I am just able to meet my mortgage and make ends meet with the use of airbnb, please do not enact laws that put us back into an unmanageable system that forces us to loose what little we have been able to gain.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 12:25pm

• Elvira

  Due to the inflation and the high cost of living in New York City, Airbnb has been a way for me to make extra money, considering I am single mother trying to make a living and support my child. Short term rental is my extra income that I need to support my son. It is almost the way for me to pay rent, bills, and food. In this high rate rent living cost in NYC.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 12:39pm

• Marta K

  This proposal smells like a perfect example of a corrupt city managment taking money from the hotel industry. Otherwise, it is completely pointless. As a typical “David against the Goliath” situation, hundreds of the NYC residents who OWN their properties and pay huge property taxes, are against an influential group of hoteliers with deep pockets. The City Hall does not understand that the worldwide accepted and well run Airbnb program generates huge revenues to the city. First off, unlike the big corporations, we DO PAY TAXES on any income resulting from such rentals, second we bring tourism and business to underserved neighborhoods with no hotel infrastructure which allows the local small businesses to survive and our guests still bring income to the broadway shows, museums and shops in the NYC.
  Another main point of Airbnb is that we can rent to larger groups!!! No boutique NYC hotel can accommodate grandma, parents, and two kids plus a dog visiting relatives in Queens for the holidays! We provide a niche service otherwise overlooked by the big corporations. Wake-up people, this is 2023 and NYC being so mismanaged into a dirty sewer hole and the taxes from 11M residents continually misappropriated, we should be paid by the city for bringing extra income here, and making the visitors feel welcome and like at home.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 12:44pm

• Max L

  I visit NYC usually once or twice a year and stayed most of the times in apartments booked via AirBnB. For various reasons (price, privacy, comfort…..) hotels are not an real option for me, neither are rooms in shared apartments. If this law will enter into force, I will need to reduce my visits to once every other year and I’m pretty sure, the hosts I stayed with won’t rent out to permanent residents (keeping those apartments for their families visiting or similar reasons). So, who will benefit from this: nobody, everyone will lose: visitors, hosts, NYC businesses. Doesn’t make sense at all.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 1:05pm

• Davis carter

  I can’t believe NY doing this to us , This is silly to control our houses and guests,it’s the only income I have am not waiting to find myself homeless am selling the house and moving to over seas countries this is what the city needs from New Yorkers to do

  Comment added December 21, 2022 1:14pm

• Alejandro Dipp Paz

  To whom it may concern ,

  This rule truly serves only the wealthy, mostly the greedy ones. It supports the top percent that owns hotels and entire rental buildings in NYC, monopolies. Especially the portion of this rule where building owners can just decide to add their building onto a list that claims short term rentals can’t be allowed. How do they expect regular people to afford/pay these rent prices? Maybe this is your true purpose. Everything is corrupt with unlawful laws, rules, bills and more. Things that make no sense and favor the few on top. Even if it’s not a building that qualifies for rent stabilization. It will force a big chunk of the middle and lower middle class, to leave NYC, as we rely on the portion of our income that comes from short term rentals that we NEED to run in our own homes. I’m certain many are like me. We work hard to make sure our space is comfortable for our guests, but really we don’t even want to rent out a portion of our home. It’s the only way we can continue to afford living in Manhattan. If you want to focus on something that supports housing issues in our city, enforce stronger and broader regulations on the never ending rent increases. Rent stabilize ALL apartment buildings. Our incomes are not growing fast enough to keep up with it. Living with a long term roommate is hardly an option. Even half of the insanely high rent for a clean living space in this city is too much for the middle class to afford. The easiest way to stop people from “Airbnbing“ portions of their homes, is to solve the crippling high cost to continue living here. Even doing that, this is truly a good way and sometimes only way to save some money. After working hard and paying our taxes to be here for many years. Fix the insane rent, HOV fees, property taxes etc. Then perhaps some won’t need to Airbnb. Forcing us to pay even more taxes/fees for the right to continue doing this, on top of threatening us with high fines, etc. That’s the move if you’re trying to run hardworking middle class people out of this city. I suppose it just depends on what the real purpose of this new rule is.

  Thanks,

  Alejandro Dipp Paz
  Manhattan neighbor

  Comment added December 21, 2022 2:22pm

• Esmael Youssef

  Ben Kallos has always done stuff like this. He does not support any low income communities or minority communities.

  I use Airbnb to pay my mortgage so I can live in the city that I’ve lived my whole life while the interest rate increases and the banks increase the price of everything.

  Ben Kallos called one Airbnb host a “Hilton hotel”. He is not passing these bills to help the housing crisis. He is doing this to get funds from these hotels. If he thought being a “Hilton hotel” was bad why doesn’t he use their properties to fix the housing crisis.

  I can’t even begin to count how many Single mothers I have had book my affordable AirBnB to get a night away from someone abusing them. A place that’s affordable and has a full kitchen to feed their children that is not as pricey as a hotel suite. Or families who have had issues in their homes and needed an affordable place to stay in the meantime. Do you expect them to rent for 30 days Ben Kallos?

  This law is nothing but politicians getting paid off by the hotel companies in NYC.

  Not to mention the enforcement agencies are actually harassers. They interrogate guests who are oblivious, force themselves in and scare the guests into believing the host is running a crime syndicate.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 10:43pm

• Ashley Nowka

  This isn’t about affordable housing, but rather taking the ability from individuals to make extra money and passing it to hotel groups with massive lobbyists.
  This ruling ignores the jobs created for the many people cleaning the short term rentals, the money the restaurants and local businesses get from the people who visit and can’t afford hotels, or prefer a more authentic experience, and the freedom of people to decide what to do with their own homes.
  The ruling is beyond invasive and un-American.

  Comment added December 21, 2022 11:28pm

• Anmarie Joseph

  STR is a great way to help with additional income. It is also a good way to meet people from all over.

  Comment added December 22, 2022 12:19am

• Linda Gotts

  This rule is un-necessary and overly restrictive. Property owners should be able to use their property as they see fit. If a short term rental is operating legally, they have a legal prior land use and have to be grandfathered out of this rule. That is a right that runs with the property.

  Comment added December 22, 2022 8:54am

• B

  I have a disability, which limits my career options. The limited career choices (as well as other factors such as systemic racism and sexism) mean that being able to afford housing is incredibly difficult. Airbnb has given me the opportunity to earn a livable income, but that is now threatened. If Airbnb is limited further, then I hope Mayor Adams at least begins focusing his efforts on providing real housing solutions and more work opportunities.

  Comment added December 22, 2022 9:47am

• VLAD FILIPPOVICH

  This is not acceptable. Airbnb was very helpful with my residency here in NYC. With constantly raising prices and rent , it is impossible to do anything else , i find myself just working to cover rent . NYC became most expensive city in the word and you , mr Adams , trying to take away our last resort of making somehow decent living and make able to travel. Besides , few years back i lost the job and unfortunately unemployment benefit dont pay enough to cover rent in NYC ( not mentioning food ) , i was able to survive till i found another job only with help of Airbnb . My co pany just announced layoff where every 3rd person will be gone. I am you voter , please do not make me realize that I made a mistake. Do not let hotel lobbies and other things take away the only source that allows working class like myself to be able live in NYC, travel and be certain that tomorrow i wont fall behind on my rent

  Comment added December 22, 2022 10:17am

• Jeremy Aidan

  To whom it may concern,

  I was born and raised in NY and at no point growing up did I think there would be a solution to help lower the cost of living, to bring true a time in America where middle-class can exist and have a good quality of a life. The simple solution was sharing ones home with others — simply, airbnb. The best creation for a melting pot like NY. I’ve shared all of my apartments with airbnb since I was 23 years old. Every time I travel to explore the world, vacation, or business, I rent my home so I can balance the cost of living in an extremely expensive city. It has improved the quality of life for millions. I would say the people who take advantage of it and rent multiple units to run businesses out of it ruin the Beauty of airbnb. Artist, business people, families, etc, love staying at my place because it is well decorated and homy. It add’s to the experience of visiting NY. I hope that people who have benefited so much from Airbnb such as myself don’t lose this — I am already beginning to fear how I will pay my rent and travel in the coming months, especially with the fear of further inflation and a recession. Kindly don’t hurt the people who work so hard to better the economy and the people around them. Sincerely, Jeremy Aidan

  Comment added December 22, 2022 7:02pm

• Zena Holness

  Why the citizens of NewYork city have to share their personal information with the Mayor office? MR. Mayor, we appreciate the Air B&B short trem rental ,we are trying to accommodate those who cannot afford to stay into hotel ,which is very costly.The poor citizens of NewYork are trying to bring more business to the community. so business owners can make more profit daily, by selling their products to these tourists. Sir,remember, NewYork is the only state that allows tenants to live in our home for free and don’t pay rent, when we take tenants to court, the judges give them more time to stay in our homes for free . Bear in mine that we have mortgage and others bills to pay.
  Why should we last out home ,because of tenants. Maybe you need to adjust this situation before you start to get involved in our personal life.
  And the other hand ,we need visitors in our community,and visitors want to come and state with us. Please consider your new rules for poor people..#moneyfrom poor people.

  Comment added December 22, 2022 11:56pm

• Lisa M

  One of issue I would like to address is allowing landlords to deny renters the ability to STR private rooms. Most people who are hosting private rooms, like myself, are doing so for economic reasons and not for fun. Giving a Landlord the ability to deny an STR application is telling them whom’s rent they can raise and force a turnover. It also allows landlords to vindicatively deny STR if the tenant has ever filed a complaint. Also if the regulations in NYC allow STR Private rooms rental with certain rules legally, how is it legal for a landlord to deny the activity?

  Also why I must register when OSE is already receiving my rental history from Airbnb or other platfroms. You know I am only renting one room with only 2 guests at a time. If my place was not clean and safe, I would be removed from the Airbnb platform real fast, but instead I am a superhost welcoming guests for over 8 years. If my guests were disruptive, there would be complaints to the landlord or may be 311, but there have been none. This is my only source of income as I am disabled & cannot stand or walk for more than a few minutes at a time. The income keeps me in my home and pays for my utilities & food. I take it my hosting very seriously and would never do anything or allow behavior by guests that would put my home in jeapardy.

  My current landlord has been turning out old tenants one a year over the last 10 years. He does “cosmetic” updates and raises the rent by $1000 or more per month. I watched a rent stabilized unit go from $720 to $3400 in 2020. The new tenant has no idea his rent should revert back after the landlord makes back his capital improvement per the new 2019 rules, that the rent hike is illegal and he should technically have a rent stabilized unit. The capital improvements done would be no more than $20k if they were not run through the landlords own construction company, and I am being generous in my estimate. So thinking that forcingrent satbilized tenants to give up their units becasue they cannor STR private rooms will make rent stabilized apartments available for new tenants is a joke. They will become open market and the new tenants unware they are being scammed.

  About rent stabilized apartments, while I agree they should not be used as STR for the entireapartment 52 weeks a year, I know many people who rent out their bedroom to make ends meet in NYC. Not all rent stabilized units are $1000 or less. I have 3 friends, all single middle age to senior citizen women, paying from $1800-$2200 for 1 bedrooms (not including heat & electric) that use the STR private room rental to stay in their homes. They rent their bedrooms and turn the livingroom into their private studio. All have some type of disability/illness and none at this moment get gov aid beyond medical insurance. They have all lived in the same units for decades and have connections to their community that are vital to them.

  People who regularly welcome strangers into their home via STR do so to survive. We may enjoy the interaction with our guests, 70% are just great people interested in a locals perspective of NYC, but it is still an inconvenience to cater to someone else’s needs 24/7. We tiptoe in our homes at 10am because guests are sleeping, watch tv with a headphone, constantly clean up after them in the bathroom/kitchen or not have friends over because you have guests. Again, I truly enjoy 70% of my guests(they help make the sacrifices wothwhile), the other 20% are not bad people but we may not click and 5% are just not nice. Fortunately as it is STR that “bad”5% will usually be moving on within a few days.

  For those wondering why not get a roommate, a regular roommate would not cover all my living expenses(rent, untilites & food) and you do not get occasional breaks to enjoy your home by yourself. I do not see any gov plan on the horizon that will help people keep their homes without the income STR provides. So without STR I and others will lose our homes eventually & may become one of the homeless needing aid.

  While I think homeowners living in the 2 family homes should be able to STR if they want, I also think renters should be able STR for limited period of time a year. Employment in America & NYC is no longer a guarantee of vacation pay, plus many New Yorkers are gig or independent contractors. These workers can never take a vacation because they must always work to make the rent. Renters in any unit, market rate or rent stabilized, should be allowed to STR their unit for 3 – 4 weeks a year. This would allow renters to visit family or just travel without worrying about making that monthly rent. By limiting the time per year to under 4 weeks for STR on rentals you ease the burden on the middle and lower classes of NYC. You also guarantee a “commercial” host will not be able to take advantage as 4 weeks STR income will not pay the rent for a year.

  My Proposal:
  1. Amend the STR regulations in NYC to allow one Private room rental for 2 Adults & 1 child in all units without registration.
  2. Allow entire apartment unit rentals to 3-4 weeks a year, without registration in any type of rental.
  3. Anyone who wants to STR an entire apartment unit for more than 4 weeks must register to prove they own the unit, live at the same address and are only allowed to register one unit.

  The OSE gets all the rental information from the various platforms and can easily determine which units are not following the rules. The various platforms have the ability to enforce the rules during the listing & booking process too.

  Amending the rules to what I propose will help financial struggling people make ends meet while weeding out the bad actors. The leaders & politicians in NYC must actively consider how the rules they propose effect those currently living in NYC. NYC can not be allowed to become a city only welcoming for the rich, though it is already well down that path already.

  Comment added December 23, 2022 2:15pm

• Sarah Mukpo

  Targeting hosts who rent their primary residence while out of town does nothing to solve the housing crisis and instead removes a vital lifeline during a recession – additional sustainable income. These units will not be released into the rental housing inventory next year and will therefore do nothing to solve the issue the city is allegedly solving.

  All the city needs to do is limit listings to a single primary home. This would remove the hosts making a career of this with multiple listings, free up housing, and keep regular non commercial hosts happy during a difficult financial period. Unless of course this is more about the hotel industry, which these regulations would lead one to believe.

  Former city council member Ben Kallos, who wrote the legislation requiring registration, is quoted as saying, “this is really going after the people who have more than one place… I don’t think that we’re really focused on going after somebody who is going away for a weekend. Single families who rent one space should not be worried.” Given the apparent understanding by at least one representative, I’m curious why the city seems focused on penalizing single families at this time?

  Comment added December 23, 2022 3:52pm

• Rachel G

  There are better ways of going about achieving what the city wants that don’t punish individual homeowners. I don’t think many New Yorkers would disagree that arbitrage has to go, that the commodification of the housing market is back for NYC. It would be really simple to find out who these bad actors are. Start out by only allowing one listing per host. Tada! That would get rid of most of the problem rentals. Or how about limiting each to no more than 200 nights per year? Tada! Same thing.

  Don’t punish owners of 2 family houses in central Brooklyn where we don’t even have hotels. My most typical guests are grandparents helping out with childcare. Is the city REALLY saying that the best place for these grandparents to stay is in a hotel in Midtown, with a single cab ride costing over $60 to central Brooklyn? Is visiting family only for the rich?

  My house is a 2 family where I live and my tenant’s family also lives. I also have a basement space that is a guest suite. No full kitchen, not permanent housing, and never will be. Perfect for hosting short term guests as well as my own family members. Ironically, last year it flooded with 6″ of water from the city’s sewer problems during Ida, and caused me over $10,000 in damage. I got no help from the city, and fixed it up better than it was before. I would not have purchased all new rugs and furniture if I had known the city would be shutting me down. I do not appreciate being made to suddenly feel like a criminal, when every indication was that short term rentals were legal in a 2 family house. Now you say I’m breaking the law and I was always breaking the law? That’s insulting.

  Put an occupancy tax on it, collected automatically through the platform and be done with it.

  Comment added December 23, 2022 5:06pm

• Nick S

  This proposed Local Law 18 is highly misguided that doesn’t solve the problem the law is supposed to solve, instead creates more problems both for ordinary New Yokers who are just trying to make ends meet by renting their own home (in most cases, one or two of the rooms) and tourists who want to come here on budget. Hotels are expensive enough. Not all tourists can afford that. Or they would rather spend the same money on going to nicer restaurants, seeing Broadway shows, etc. Have you been seeing emptier restaurants lately? Attacking AirBnB would surely make it worse because now tourists would be forced to spend money on hotels and if they have limited budget, they would have to make a choice between the hotels OR restaurant/Broadway shows.

  The proposed law would affect me on far lesser degree than other hosts as I do not rent out on AIrBnB for less than 30 days. This is my personal choice. But the registration (which I won’t have to because it wouldn’t apply to me as a long term host) requirement for the host is overly intrusive and almost at the level of intrusion of privacy by the government. And New York State squatter law doesn’t help. I personally believe that it is ultimately the host’s responsibility to properly screen potential tenants/guests and I have ways and means to do it. But not all AirBnB hosts do. If the hosts get stuck with squatters, it would take months to have them evicted by housing court while obviously the unit wouldn’t be available for rent. How is that going to help the housing problem? Also that’s one less accomodation option for tourists also while that’s happening.

  AirBnB also offers more affordable options for those who need to travel with bigger groups like a family. Something like 3BR/2bth options are extremely expensive at regular hotels and it’s very hard to find. Staying at multiple rooms at hotels certinaly isn’t cheap either. You want tourists to come back? You really shouldn’t attack AirBnB like this. Tourists who use AirBnB people are not the same audience that regular hotels target.

  There are many other ways to solve housing problems and shore up tourism mostly by fixing existing laws like I mentioned above. Attacking individual AirBnB hosts is not the one, while I do agree that those who operate multiple AirBnB under a corporate name rather than individuals should be regulated.

  Comment added December 24, 2022 3:53am

• Sil

  I’m a retired, 77 year old, honorably discharged disabled American veteran who served my country proudly in the Vietnam conflict. The VA has been cutting back on services recently, forcing me to seek medical treatment in the private sector which means copayments and high premiums. Not to mention the exorbitant cost of prescription drugs needed to treat my service related PTSD among other service related issues.
  I own a two family home with a one bedroom walk in apartment. Six months ago, to offset the recent increasing cost of living, we decided to rent our apartment on a short term basis. The reason we can’t rent it annually is because our children live out of State and when they come to visit, we need the extra space for them and our grandchildren.
  The income we receive from the short term rentals is minimal as we need to pay for utilities, wifi, cleaning services, supplies and ultimately the taxes we claim as income. IS ANYONE LISTENING????? DOES ANYONE CARE?????

  Comment added December 24, 2022 10:45am

• Farhana Chowdhury

  We have regular guests who always come to our Airbnb because of cleanliness and amenities. We work hard to make income. Tourists will stop coming of airbnbs shut down. We are next to lga airport and 100 percent our guests are passengers flight attendants or pilots

  Comment added December 24, 2022 11:05am

• Cheickna samake

  In my opinion Airbnb still has a lot to offer especially jobs for example my 23 year old sister is a college student that cleans airbnbs and the money she gets from that job helps her a lot to pay her college bill , food , rent etc
  So I do not believe that shutting down an activity that still produce jobs is smart because those who works in these structures pay taxes and those taxes help the government and I think that it’s especially needed now with the current inflation going on and we have to say that this activity helps the society by bringing money in families plus stopping this activity is going to leave a lot of person unemployed and do not think that’s what we need now .
  So I please ask you to reconsider your judgment cause I do understand that for some of you this is irrelevant but some people can end up homeless such as my sister so please do the right move here and save some life .

  Comment added December 24, 2022 12:28pm

• Emilia

  As an full time college student. Airbnb cleaning helps me a lot to focus on my schooling.cause they’re really flexible I can earn money by cleaning for 2 hours and earn the same money as I was working 8 h for 15$ per hours. This past to semester those cleaning were a way for me to afford my expense like my room and phone bills. The fact that Airbnb cleaning is really flexible I was able to focus on my school. I hope the will thinks about people like me before applying this laws cause those cleaning are the way I can succeed my college education and paid my room thanks 🙏🏾

  Comment added December 24, 2022 12:58pm

• Mohammed Ali

  Airbnb has been a lifeline for my family. I have a daughter that was born premature, which is a disability. She has some special needs and my partner is a medical student. This family setup made it very difficult for me to continue working and fully be there for my premature daughter. There’s a lot of catching up to do in terms of speech delays, and physical mobility among others associated with prematurity.

  I realized that I was working simply to pay a babysitter / nanny and my salary couldn’t really cut it to have enough saved up. Plus my daughter was not getting the adequate help she needed. So I started doing short term rental with my house.

  This has given me the ability to care for my little girl full time and we have seen so much progress with her. Something that couldn’t have happened if I was out there working and left her care to others.

  Yes there are large perpetrators that wrongly use the platform for other purposes but if a live landlord, not an LLC, own their property and decide to rent a few rooms or an entire space In order to make a living to support themselves or a love one, I don’t think the city should make life harder and unbearable for them.

  The law should serve New Yorkers. All New Yorkers. I’m a New Yorker, my partner is and so are my kids. This will be unfair to us too. The law will be crippling us and will throw our family into chaos. Figuring out how to support ourselves and at the same time be at risk of losing our house while figuring it out.

  The Great city of New York can do better. We can create something that has the best intention of all New Yorkers at heart.

  Let’s truly go for those running hotels. One person with multiple listings at various address adding up to large numbers. Not after some of us just trying to find time and money for our bills and to support our families.

  Thank you

  Comment added December 24, 2022 11:40pm

• Helen M

  I use short term rental of my bedroom as a means to stay in my home of 25 years in the East Village after I got sick 8 years ago. I am now currently disabled and would have great difficulty in holding a normal job as I need to nap a great deal plus suffer from extreme chronic pain. Being able to STR my bedroom has allowed me to stay financially independent, which is not the same as becoming rich. It pays all my necessities: rent, utilities & food but I am not earning enough to build up a savings account. But as my home is rent stabilized, being excluded from being able to registor for STR, means I will lose my home. I have no where else to go. I would not earn enough to pay my expenses by having a full-time roommate.I have considered that option. And when I lose my home, my $2300 rent stabilized apartment will be an open market unit for $3500. How do I know this? I saw it happen 4 times in the last few years in my building and no new tenent is awre of the illegal rent increases since 2019.

  Closing my Airbnb does not only harm me. I pay Cathy, a single mother to clean between guests. as I physically can not. She lives with her 3 children & grandmother in a 1 bedroom apartment. One of her daughters is legally blind, her son was born with health issues and her grandmother not only has Alzheimer but other major medical issues which is why Cathy cannot work a normal job. She can only get a way 2 -3 hours at a time when her grandmother’s aide comes. The money I pay her 2-3x a week helps feed and clothe her children. It makes a big difference to her ability to provide the basics for her family and if I close, she does not have any way to replace that income.

  I take great pride in being an ambassador to my hometown. I offer suggestions and help my guests get the most out of their visit to NYC by encouraging them to see places outside of midtown. I provide all my guests with a guide of businesses in the East Village so that they will eat & shop locally. I have set up gospel trips to Harlem, sent guests to the real Little Italy on Arthur ave and suggested that they try Coney Island for dinner & a sunset. I have created bike routes in Brooklyn so guests can experience the wonderful neighborhoods, found walking tours of the East Village street art, sent Asian guests desperate for grandma’s cooking to Flushing and people from the Midwest to Astoria so they can try real Greek food. I have adviced countless foreign guests eager for bargains to try 125th street for clothing shopping and those who want to thrift shop over to 23rd street. I even helped three Italian tourists, who thought they were real “rappers” to visit the historical spots in The Bronx & Brooklyn where rap originated while also telling them to be respectful. I firmly believe I am helping NYC reach a tourist that could not visit without private room STR through Airbnb or other platforms. Hotels rooms are just too expensive for them.

  I am sympathetic to the hosts who bought 2 unit homes planning on using STR to pay the mortgage and I believe any hosts who lives at the same building/address and only lists one unit should be able to rent an entire unit. But I am not reading much on this board about renters who live in their unit, STR a private bedroom and maybe the entire unit 2-3 weeks a year. The vast majority of renter hosts only list one address. These “renter” hosts are also just trying to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the country.

  Former city council member Ben Kallos, who wrote the legislation requiring registration, is quoted in an TV interview as saying, “this is really going after the people who have more than one place… I don’t think that we’re really focused on going after somebody who is going away for a weekend. Single families who rent one space should not be worried.” But that is clearly not how Christian Klossner has interpreted the regulations. What happens to these hosts when they cannot STR because they do not fit the regulations a Director Christian Klossner has stated they will be enforced? Are they going to be added to the growing Homelessness crisis in NYC?

  Are their bad actors who turn whole buildings in to hotels, yes and they need to be stopped. As well as the hosts who rent 4-5 bedroom apartments, do not live there and rent out every bedroom with no one to ensure the guests are behaving appropriately. These platforms of the “share” economy need to be focused on the original intent- one host offering one unit or bedroom in their home to make ends meet. These hosts have a stake financially and emotionally in making sure their neighbors are not bothered.

  NYC’s mayor and council members needs to find ways to support the lower & middle classes of New York. I would be happy to meet with any politician to explain how these rules will effect me and the different ways people host. I am sure once they are informed, a more nuanced plan to regulate Short Term Rentals can be designed to remove bad actors while supporting the majority of hosts who need this income to survive in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

  Comment added December 24, 2022 11:59pm

• IR

  Most elected officials who testified in the Dec 5th hearing stated their opposition to short term rentals was the NY Housing crisis. As we’ve discussed before in past comments here, the “housing crisis” has long pre-dated Airbnb and the rise of NYC short term rentals in our city. Eliminating short term rentals is unlikely to provide the relief our city needs. In the attached OpEd piece in the NY Post, Howard Husock shares some solutions that would help increase our housing stock and begin to truly mitigate our housing challenges.

  Comment attachment
  nypost-crisis.pdf

  Comment added December 25, 2022 10:28am

• Yemane Abebe

  Airbnb hosts of private 1 and 2 family homes should not be subject to Local Law 18. Many hosts are trapped in an environment where it’s difficult to keep up with rising expenses and depend on Airbnb income to survive. For larger buildings with many units it’s reasonable and understandable to introduce regulation but owners and hosts of smaller 1 and 2 family homes should not be engulfed and punished as part of regulation implementation.
  Airbnb hosts provide alternative options for travelers, create opportunity for local businesses to be supported by travelers and boosts tourism to parts of NYC that otherwise would not be able to benefit. Airbnb usage of smaller 1 and 2 unit buildings do not cause shortage in long term rental units because they aren’t producing many units and landlords would opt to rather keep them empty than rent to potential professional or trouble tenants that will take advantage of NYC’s pro tenant legal environment. Overall, Local Law 18 should simply not be applicable to private dwelling homes.

  Comment attachment
  LocalLaw18Comments.docx

  Comment added December 26, 2022 1:51am

• Christina T Vlachos

  For 28 years, I have lived in my house in Flushing. My husband and I were living in Brooklyn at the time, but wanted to purchase a home, and Flushing, Queens, had a little more room, but also good transit and better schools. We bought a wood frame house built in 1906 for an excellent price because it needed a lot of work. We spent time repairing the house, working our jobs, having two precious daughters, and then 9/11 happened. It’s a long story, but my husband was deeply affected, mental health and substance abuse disorders, until we ultimately divorced.
  From 2003, I have had the burden of taking care of my family alone, and I wanted to do everything to keep my daughters’ lives as normal as possible and keep them in the only home they had ever known after losing their father.
  Over the years, I had done home swaps for affordable vacations. I had CUNY professors who needed a place to stay and rent my spare bedroom on occasion. I knew about Airbnb when it first got started, but I took the time to learn about the platform, city and state rules, as well as consulting with a lawyer and my accountant before listing 10 years ago. I have been sharing two rooms in my house over the years with nothing but positive experiences for my family, my guests, and my neighborhood. My listing is not an overcrowded, unsupervised “hotel.” It’s 1 or 2 guests who book a room for the Mets, US Open, ping pong championships, concerts, hospital residency interviews, principal engineer exams, visiting relatives or friends, putting loved ones in assisted living, between flights at JFK or LaGuardia, or just looking for a safe and affordable place to stay in NYC. My guests have appreciated my tips for local things to do, drives to the airport or the subway, free Metrocard use, laundry use, a quiet backyard. I’ve helped parents feel better about letting their kids come to NYC for college after meeting me and my family. I’ve had a young military couple from Texas tell me how they never could have afforded their trip to NYC without staying at my Airbnb listing. I had older adults from Germany and Sweden, traveling alone, not speaking English, a little scared, and I helped embolden them and show them that NYC is not a scary place. Local restaurants and shops have benefitted from the purchases made by my guests. There are no wild parties or neighbors complaining because I am home when my guests are here.
  Airbnb income has helped me continue to restore my house. It helped me put my daughters through college, grad school, and just provide for their needs, despite me having a full-time job. I lived paycheck to paycheck before and Airbnb gave me the side income to help me breathe.
  My involvement in Airbnb is not destroying the city or impacting affordable housing. I am a single family home. I’m not interested in full-time “renters.” I have had Airbnb guests ask, and I have said no. I have had experiences in the past where I have had those CUNY professors or students stay long-term, and then my home is no longer my home. I also have so many friends and relatives visit (my cousins from Australia for a month in 2014), and I like to have the extra space to relax or host these friends and relatives, or like right now, have my younger daughter who lives in DC have a room for the holidays when she comes home. Airbnb gives me that flexibility to share my home with strangers when I want and still have time to myself and to do repairs.
  My situation is not unique. Most Airbnb hosts, especially in the outer boroughs, live in the homes they share with their guests, NOT real estate tycoons renting out whole apartments and displacing residents. We support the local economy. We are not competing with hotels; we are bringing people to NYC who can’t afford hotels or don’t want to stay in a hotel. Both Airbnb and hotels enabled 70 million tourists to visit our city in 2019. It can help bring those tourists back.
  I am asking that the City Council hear the genuine hosts of Airbnb, people like me who want to be able to stay in our city and raise our families here. We are just asking for fair treatment and clear rules in plain language so we can continue to host and support the city we love. Thank you.

  Comment added December 26, 2022 10:49am

• Oumar

  This is more than insane. Living in NYC (Bed Stuy) there are no affordable hotels. Making cheap suit place available to guests who are visiting family locally, for example older parents visiting their kids and grandkids who live in the neighborhood. We as client want to be within easy walking distance to our families; there are no hotels nearby that cater to this. Guests shop locally at the neighborhood cafes and restaurants. The Airbnb system recommend locally owned and operated places for us to go. This proposed rule would disrupt local families in this neighborhood, and send money away from local Bed Stuy businesses. They are not trying to be a hotel. So…why does New York want to make visiting family here harder than it should be? Why does New York want tourists to have to stay at corporate hotels in neighborhoods which complicate their visit? Why does New York want to be less helpful to the small businesses trying to make a living in areas where there are limited tourist dollars to start with?

  Comment added December 26, 2022 12:38pm

• Marina

  It is unacceptable to see representative Ben Calos saying in public that at least small homeowners will be able to have their spaces rent out on Airbnb with no problem: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/airbnb-hosts-in-new-york-city-brace-for-changes. This a lie. Please do not lie to your constituents. Please read the Law you purposed Mr. Calos and if know you see the big mistake you were trying to make now, please make a change with your city officials and fixed it in a way that small landlords can rent out their spaces on Airbnb.

  a) The reality with this new law is different. Representative Ben Calos was one of the persons who purposed such a disaster law to the middle class. He does not even know the writing of the law he purposed. How can we trust our elected officials when they are only trying to make a point to justify the contributions from HTC (Hotel Union Of New York).

  b) We elect officials to help the whole community and find a middle ground that benefits the whole city.

  Conclusion. Please leave small owners alone who are minorities, people of color, disabled people, Elderly people and regular every day new Yorkers. Please let them find a way to being able to support their families and their communities. Viva Airbnb and let the City Of New York have new source of income from Responsible Small Landlords host.

  https://www.fox5ny.com/news/airbnb-hosts-in-new-york-city-brace-for-changes

  Comment added December 26, 2022 12:51pm

• Anony

  Instead of the city focusing on hardworking families, they should focus on the worst landlord which is NYCHA. https://abc7ny.com/nyc-worst-landlords-in-new-york-city-nycha/12593361/

  Comment added December 26, 2022 5:43pm

• Karen Douglas

  I am a divorced single parent and I rent out my extra room and bathroom in my single-family home in Queens, and this income has become so important to me. As single mom, I was inflicted with in March 2020. I was faced with dyer financial hardship. I almost lost my home. The pandemic, the high inflation afterwards and growing taxes made it more and more difficult to keep up with my bills. This extra income from my guest rental was and remains to be such a life saver. It allows me to control my personal space and affords me the ability to not lose my home and to keep living in my home. 95% of my guests stay with me because they are visiting relatives in the area, where there are expensive hotel options. All hotels in my area are often booked out or not affordable for foreigners visiting for short term vacations. Their currency is below US currency, so their funds have to extend in an economical way. My guest really enjoyed my place and told us the stay made them feel more welcomed to NYC. Hosting a guest in my home allows for healthy socialization. This is especially beneficial for introverts and many elderly adults. Most importantly, being able to host saved my home during the covid outbreak. I

  The regulation will make it almost impossible to continue doing Airbnb, and it does nothing outside benefiting the hotel chains who donate to the politicians who champion this regulation. Most of the hosts I know enjoy the flexibility of short term rentals, so the argument that we are taking long term housing stocks off the market is just a feel-good way for hotel lobbyist to push their agenda through. Why are our little guys always being targeted the most? We are just hard working families who’s trying to make a little extra income. Why is the city, despite not doing enough to combat crime and protecting us, spending this much energy to take away means of tax paying honest New York homeowners? Please help us, New York.

  Comment added December 27, 2022 11:05am

• Bill L

  This legislation’s primary intention is to serve NYC’s hotel lobbyists. Anyone who is dense enough to believe that affordable housing is of any tangible concern to this administration should wake up to reality. This intentionally ambiguous, overly strict legislation solely helps hotels by squashing the healthy competition that STRs bring. It’s not a coincidence that Mayor Adams took major campaign contributions from hotel lobbyists. They are looking to cash-in on their investment, as do any other lobbies.

  There are bad actors in the STR space, as there are with any other industry. If the intention was to target them, then single-family and 2-family households wouldn’t be lumped into the same category as large apartment complexes and rent-regulated buildings. Many homeowners in NYC rely on the income from short-term rentals to offset the egregiously high property taxes that the city imposes. Putting con artists that illegally sublet apartments in the same category as homeowners that rent out their homes or a portion of their homes is disingenuous, at best.

  If this administration has any intention on actually coming to a reasonable middle-ground on this issue, they will leave homeowners of 1 and 2-family buildings out of this. The restrictions that they plan to impose make any sort of short-term rental a complete impossibility. It’s blatantly obvious that the intention is not to regulate the industry, but to demolish it entirely.

  This legislation needs to be scrapped, and replaced with a more logical and comprehensive one that actually allows proper hosts to continue to run their legitimate businesses, which in turn can pump millions of dollars of tax revenue into the city annually. They can focus on actually targeting the bad actors, while allowing properly run STRs to continue on. It would be a win-win situation. The only explanation on why they wouldn’t go that route is to appease their donors/lobbyists.

  Again, leave homeowners of 1 and 2-family buildings alone!

  Comment added December 27, 2022 11:12am

• Lory Henning

  We have a two family house, and we have been Superhosts on AirBnB for years. We keep one room off the upstairs landing as ours, and the rest of the apartment upstairs we rent to one or two guests at a time. We live our lives, go to our jobs, visit our friends, etc. but we never travel overnight while we have guests in the house. We mostly host parents of adult children or grandparents coming to our neighborhood to visit their family. We provide a great service for our guests and for our community. We don’t have a problem with the idea of following safety regulations, nor registering ourselves as hosts. But we don’t want to get caught up in the city’s efforts to shut down bad actors and those who are trying to take advantage of the system! We just want to be able to continue running our business, take care of our guests, and keep earning what we can from our efforts. The money we earn from hosting is better than we can get with long term tenants, and we like the ability to control our schedule and have time without others in our house when we want to (such as during the holidays). Please don’t legislate us out of business.

  Comment added December 27, 2022 12:20pm

• arielle in brooklyn

  NYC is a difficult place to live and raise a family. I am a lifelong New Yorker, fortunate and grateful to own a home in Brooklyn where I am raising my two young sons on my own. Every day is a delicate balance – getting the kids to school with all of their needs met, and getting myself to work so that I can do it all over again. The pandemic brought everything to a screeching halt – in addition to the city shutting down, I lost my job, lost my father, lost the little help that I had from my children’s father as he decided to leave the city as well. Throughout all of this – the ability to cushion my income with the option of renting out a small part of my house through short term rentals has helped me remain independent and safe. Short term rental is the only option that I have for the 2 rooms on my ground floor – it is not suitable as it is now for a long term rental. I do not have the capital to renovate it and rent it out long term. Furthermore, having the flexibility to use that space for family

  In addition to the benefits that short term renting has brought me individually, my neighborhood is benefiting from this immensely as well. Our residential area is now full of thriving, independent, locally-owned businesses that benefit from the tourism that otherwise would never make it to the outer boroughs. Traveling to NYC has become accessible to families from all over the world who would otherwise not be able to afford NYC hotels. Short term rentals help NYC residents, businesses and communities. Eliminating this option will ONLY help those that are already thriving and in power. This is not the solution to the housing shortage, this is only evidence of the powerful sway of the hotel lobbies. Let NYC residents know that you value US and our ability to survive here.

  Comment added December 27, 2022 2:43pm

• Michael Odumosu

  this law will affect jobs, by removing properties off airbnb there are less jobs for the cleaning companies, and now this affordable housing that you are trying to make happen how will people pay “affordable rent” if there are no jobs, think of cleaning ladies and property managers. also this is unconsitiutional and smells of conumisstic policies. I do for one want to help the population, so you can control the amount of me we charge guests or have a min flat rate for the 3rd party services that manage it, but to outright destroy it we cant have that

  Comment added December 28, 2022 2:17pm

• J

  I’m writing to express my concern with regard to the New York City’s Local Law 18. Airbnb hosting income has been a vital lifeline for my family. It has helped us pay our mortgage and expenses as a family of four and afforded us to stay in our home in Brooklyn where my children attend school.
  We are not opposed to following all rules and regulations but feel this law is restrictive, unfair, and would make it impossible to be a host.
  Airbnb allows a level of transparency and ability to screen guests and view their profiles. Our guests support the local area restaurants and shops and have all been lovely and respectful people visiting. Our hosting suite does not take away from the housing market. Many guests that have stayed with us visit their children and grandchildren in the area.
  I sincerely hope the city will consider the impact this will have on honest homeowners who are trying to sustain a simple lifestyle in New York City which has become an extremely cost prohibitive place to live in addition to the rising cost of living in general post pandemic. If we are not able host on Airbnb in the future I am not sure how we will afford to stay in our home.
  I urge the lawmakers to consider the impact this will have.

  Comment added December 28, 2022 4:10pm

• Merlyn

  Hosting families that are looking for a home away from home is a service that is needed. Tourist are a vital part of my neighborhood economy as they contribute to the bakeries, restaurants, pharmacies, and supermarket that are within walking distance. I love this city, and I believe I am doing my part of assisting the local economy by providing a needed service for families in their time of need. Please rethink the new laws moving forward. Thank you.

  Comment added December 28, 2022 5:13pm

• Kyle B

  Why should I have to register with the city for something I’m doing on private property that. Also the city does not assist financially in my air bnb listing. Again how can you legally force me to register because I let any person stay at my private property. This is ridiculous.

  Comment added December 28, 2022 5:47pm

• Eugenia

  This choice is going to really hurt a lot of individual New Yorkers, especially if 1 & 2 family homes are included. It is ridiculously draconian, considering the history of New York City as a place where people let out rooms to help supplement their income. We offer housing mainly to med students, visiting doctors, and visiting patients who are using hospitals close to our home. These are not people who can use a hotel for their stays. They need a kitchen, they need a place to live for some weeks or months. They deserve to be able to find reasonable housing.

  All these new rules are doing is showing that instead of creating a solution that strikes a strong balance between sanctioning corporate bad actors and supporting individuals, New York City ones again would rather roll over and screw its own people for lobbyists and big business. It’s an absolute disgrace and embarrassment.

  Comment added December 28, 2022 9:31pm

• AJ

  I support the requirement for short-term rental hosts to register with the City, as with any lodging accommodation there should be safety requirements as well as a means for local government to tax these BUSINESSES. Registration will keep hosts honest, curb discrimmination against travelers, require a minimum standard of accommodations, and give travellers recourse if needed. Most large tourist cities have these rules.

  Comment added December 29, 2022 9:36am

• Kevin Bryant

  The only Housing Crisis in NY is for Affordable Housing! There are thousands of Available Apts. In new Buildings throughout The 5 Boroughs but the majority cannot afford the Rents. These developers have outpriced many so the apts. Remain empty! The Mayors office should make these developers create a Larger amount of Apts for lower Income families and Individuals who can afford them.The rents in NY have increased by 16% over the last year. Of course this will cause a shortage of Available Housing for lower Income people and many who cannot afford 2500.00 a Month for an aprtment! Airbnb is not the cause of this ! The rising cost of living and inflation is the Culprit!+ Many Hosts share their Homes to avoid Foreclosures and to keep their heads above water! Taxes are high, Water & Sewer bills, Con Edison has raised its prices, Insurance raised, and Groceries are very expensive. Something must give in order for Us to Survive. Taking Airbnb away from many will have a chain reaction in NY and many will go under. From Store owners to Property Owners.

  Comment added December 29, 2022 11:30am

• Leana Divine

  My husband and I have a two family home. In our rooms, we have long term tenants plus 2 rooms on Airbnb. Airbnb has been saving us financially since the pandemic when our long term tenants stopped paying. Even in December, all of our long term tenants were late with their rent, but Airbnb saved us when the mortgage and bills were due because we actually get paid through Airbnb. We have a wonderful long term Korean student tenant who found us on airbnb. The constant cleaning is really hard and we do hire local people to help us when we can afford it. The good thing is that we keep our place cleaner because long term tenants have trashed our home and had issues with mice when they left food and trash out. By having airbnb guests by the month we are able to do deep cleans. People are still dirty and damage our things, but we are able to better maintain our space. The nice thing about airbnb too is that when my husband and I need to help our sick parents in Texas, we can put our space on Airbnb. We help people who need a place to stay in NY and we are able to have help with our house that is from 1901 and constantly needs maintenance and upkeep. We would rather have someone in the space than have it empty so that if a pipe breaks or the roof leaks we know about it instantly. Although we have airbnb guests for long stays, sometimes there are days or weeks between the stays and Airbnb helps us to fill these gaps. And when airbnb guests destroy our things/property, Airbnb reimburses us. We feel very fortunate to have this mix of short and long term tenancy. Otherwise we couldn’t afford to keep our house and would have to evict our long term tenants who pay late or haven’t paid in months. Please do not take away for people like us and our local South Bronx neighbors who feed and clean up after our guests.

  Comment added December 29, 2022 9:43pm

• Scared NYC Host

  I wont use my real name as I fear the OSE, but I’d like to remind everyone this isn’t about building codes, safety or even the housing crisis. This is the hotel industry and their lobbyists.

  The hotel industry hates us hosts so much they even hire PIs to track our units down and report us, as covered in this Bloomberg article by Josh Eidelson.

  I do not object to a registration system. I object to a registration system without first fixing our broken state laws (MDL) and city laws/building codes. I object to a system that requires my personal information (and that of my family) to be public to everyone.

  Fix the process. Go after big time violators with hundreds of units. Then come back and we can talk about how my couch and den being rented out being illegal.

  Comment attachment
  airbnb-bloomberg.pdf

  Comment added December 29, 2022 10:11pm

• Ron Ahmed

  This is what happens when the hotel lobby starts doing kickbacks and buying officials to do their bidding.

  Airbnb was a safe route for small landlords to rent out space on temporary basis and recoupe the crazy expenses of keeping a property in NYC. The permanent tenants nowadays are very risky when NYC doesn’t let you evict for 2 years plus.

  No more investing in NYC. Need to take these jobs somewhere else

  Comment added December 30, 2022 5:47am

• PrivacyDude

  I’m surprised to not see any comments about the record keeping requirements here. The rules don’t seem to be clear on what data I need to store for those 7 years.

  I mostly host guests from Europe. Those people are EU data subjects and under GDPR the type of records the OSE wants me to keep on my guests might be illegal. What if I get an erasure request? Do I get fined by the EU for not honoring it or by OSE for agreeing to delete their data?

  I don’t know anything about the CCPA, but would California guests present similar challenges?

  Has the OSE discussed this with any privacy experts to make sure we aren’t creating new problems?

  Comment added December 30, 2022 8:28am

• Jack

  We feel it is unfair for the City to adopt such drastic harsh rules that will make it difficult for a homeowner to earn a little money to help make ends meet.

  Comment added December 30, 2022 10:29am

• Dharamdeo Bisram

  Although, I understand that there is a housing crunch in New York City, making it difficult to do short term rentals would hardly help that situation and would only result in the LOSS of revenues because this would prevent large families from visiting the city. Visitors with large groups cannot stay in hotels, which would result in them going to other cities.

  That revenues lost by the city can be used to build housing for the homeless.

  Also, at the minimum, the City should allow short term rentals for one and 2 families

  I sincerely hope you address this issue.

  Thank you.

  Comment added December 30, 2022 11:48am

• Niecy Bee

  I think this law would be a great disservice to middle income families that are trying to cope with the HIGH COST OF LIVING IN NEW YORK and with inflation added to the mix i won’t be able to survive in NY. Middle income families do not qualify for any social service because we are told that we make “too much money” which is total nonsense but yet we make just enough that 1/3 of our paycheck goes to paying taxes to a state that is going against us making a few extra dollars and are driving us out of that very state. I am barely making enough money to cover my expenses and this law will take away the additional income I need to survive and maintain myself and kids with basic living necessities such as food and clothing. There are no hotels in East New York and my guest enjoy the convenience of staying somewhere that’s affordable and close to their family that they are visiting. It seem as though NY is becoming more and more impossible to afford as it seem that Mayor Adams is only catering for the rich as that would be somewhat more beneficial to him his bottomline but I hope they remember that the little man votes and it’s many of us and little of them.

  Comment added December 30, 2022 12:19pm

• Stella

  I do not have an issue with the registration. Actually, it is a great idea because there are several bad actors. However, I do have a problem with the city dictating to homeowners the length of stay and open doors policy. As a soon to be retiree, I do not wish to share my home with someone who may potentially use the system against me as so many people I know have been victims of the one-sided judicial system. In addition, when renting, does the rental agency leave the office doors open so why should we? Would a hotel tell the guests to leave their doors unlocked because they have an open-door policy? As a matter of fact, hotels are more unsafe than a private home because the windows cannot open and the exits are far from most rooms. The income potential is a welcome relief to uu without having to leave our homes as NYC is getting more unsafe for travel. It also supplements income for retirees and soon-to-be as well. No government should dictate to it’s citizens what, who and how long someone should have access to their homes. Visitors are aware that the hotels and low-budget motels were used as shelters during the pandemic. Rendering them unhabitable, unsanitary and unsafe. The motels and budget friendly inns cannot keep up with the housekeeping demands. Visitors are also seeking to partake of a home experience by living, traveling and supporting the small businesses within the community. These restrictions will definitely redirect tourists to illegal rentals or cause them to seek accommodations outside the city or across the Hudson. It is a travesty that legitimate homeowners and homes are the central focus of a supposedly democratic mayor which ironically started with the previous administration. So much for the small business/minority/women
  owned credo. It shows that the focus of this city is misguided and misrepresented. Instead of cracking down on illegal cars and pet shops, unlicensed, smoke shops, etc., the family and home ownership are being attacked at an unprecedented level for political gains. Another reason why the NYC population has been and continues to decline. Give us the opportunity to register and provide a fair service while welcoming guests who contribute to the economic development of the city. As it stands right now, the plan is askew and needs a true board to interpret and apply the law with fidelity to all.

  Comment added December 30, 2022 2:43pm

• Margaret D.

  Requiring home owners to need to register and pay fees to the city to have guests stay in a spare room is an overreach. It’s one thing to try to prevent apartments from being converted into Airbnbs, taking away rentals from people who need to live here, but there is no justifiable reason to require a single family home owner or the owner of an apartment to subject themselves to such onerous registration to rent out a spare room in their privately owned property. I don’t see the legal justification for that when people are trying to make ends meet in an expensive city, and a spare room or a room that maybe their college age kids don’t use all the time could be a huge help to pay the ever increasing bills. Property owners should have the legal right to guests in their own living space!

  Comment added January 2, 2023 12:05am

• Lamar

  I’m trying to make sense of this, so we’re paying our mortgage, property taxes and insurance and we can’t have a say in who and how we want to rent our space out??? This is alot of New Yorkers livelihood rite now, this is how we’reable to put food on the table, and pay for our kids education and child care expenses, this is what keeps our heads above water in a city where cost of living out paces our wages tremendously. Alot of folks would rather do airbnb truthfully because of this city/state treats landlords like criminals. We live in a state where the tenant has more rights in our own home than we do, a tenant can refuse to pay rent for whatever reason and be in the right. It shouldn’t have to take a property owner years to evict a tenant who violates their lease agreement, now thats criminal. This is why alot of people would prefer short term rentals, it pays more and your expenditures are covered incase of any damages by the short term rental guest. YES!!! NYS/NYC you can’t have your cake and eat it too, it’s either you give us the protection we need as landlords/property owners to rent to Real New Yorkers and hold them accountable or you leave us alone and let us do what’s in our best interest because you clearly don’t have our best interest in no way shape or form. At the same token this increases NYC tourism exponentially this brings travelers to the local neighborhood and helps alot of local businesses. There have been alot of cleaning companies that started up since airbnb began to gain more notoriety. So attempting to stop our livelihood is an attack on the middle class and victory for the rich. Come up with stronger Tenant Laws and swifter Eviction process and that will solve the problem of not renting to real New Yorkers who can move in and not a pay a dime after deposit and 1st month rent and cause a hardship on working middle income earners causing them to lose their home(s) and be put out in the streets. Tell me how the hell in the world does this makes sense ??? Truthfully ask yourself, Would you rather someone who come and stay short term or take a gamble on someone long term who can just decide not to pay and ruin your apartment, credit, family and future goals in the process ???? I 1000% support homeowners like myself who’s trying to make ends meet by renting out their units to short term renters and while doing so helping local businesses thrive from increase traffic in our community. Please reconsider this decision and focus on more important task(s) this city needs to tackle and stop trying to nickel and dime middle income New Yorkers. Thank you.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 12:07am

• Kay

  I love Airbnb’s they tend to be a lot more affordable and feelings more homey. We’ve stayed at an Airbnb in Brooklyn NYC and it allow us a more personal experience of Brooklyn. We’d love to experience more of them In the future.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 7:02am

• Lauren F McGrath

  We have had the pleasure of hosting guests on the garden level of our house and it has enabled us to pay a mortgage, pay college tuitions, fund our fairly modest NYC lives. As freelancers and artists, we have limited other income. People have so enjoyed getting to know our neighborhood, and visiting family and friends in the area, hosting Thanksgivings, attending graduations and touring at the many schools nearby, enjoying the local restaurants I have recommended. Families have been able to come to NYC who would otherwise struggled to afford multiple rooms in a hotel. It’s been an unobtrusive, pleasant situation for all involved. I cannot understand the need to shut this down, and that would represent a significant hardship for my family. If there are bad actors in this business, please target them more specifically and leave us to manage our own properties in the way we see fit. Thank you.

  Comment attachment
  happy-visitors.pdf

  Comment added January 2, 2023 8:55am

• Linda

  I’m a single mother of a child with mental health issues who requires a lot of care. I lost my job last year due to missing a lot of work as a result of caring for my child. Hosting on Airbnb allows me to pay my bills and large medical bills that I have and the flexibility to care for my ill child.

  It also provides steady work for my cleaners and local laundry woman because of the cleaning fee that guests are charged. I also bring much needed tourist spending to my neighborhood by recommending local restaurants, shops, and bars that most visitors to the city would never know about otherwise. Neighborhoods like mine need Airbnb.

  Most of my guests are those who would never stay in a hotel. They are in town visiting their adult children or grandchildren who don’t have the extra space in their homes but they want to be nearby them in the neighborhood.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 10:28am

• Fabricio

  It’s unbelievable this draconian law ! Feel like a communist country! How possible i cannot rent my onw property, to pay my onw bills ?!
  Then you want my vote ! ?
  Unbelievable

  Comment added January 2, 2023 1:30pm

• Scooter

  NYC needs to be welcoming to all visitors, not only to single or couples with no kids. This rules will clearly affect a wild range of people visiting NY, who most of the time need an accommodation that is different than the single or couples tourists with no kids
  The need of space or cook is very important when you have Heath issues, family with kids, disability. They need a safe place to stay comfy without feeling threatening by NYC OSE just because they find themselves better outside of busy NYC areas that would anyway not offer them
  What they need. Real NY hosts, the ones who host to generate extra money to support their family and to take care of their home, front door, side walk that the city fail to fix and clean is just totally unfair and a missed target. Also let’s be honest, the construction in NY is so cheap that no one would ever want to live more than a week below my apartment and my kids. 7 days is the maximum people can tolerate living here with kids running non-stop above.
  So instead of putting rules,
  find a frame in which people who do want to host for all the reasons you know now (many hosts already gave their stories at the hearing of Dec 5 2022), can do it. This should not be complicated to do it instead of keep adding constraints.
  People with 1-2 family house clearly need to rent they homes whenever it is necessary. NYC does not allow families to live there, apartment are so small. Renting short term helps with monthly expenses to live in NYC, so the only chance to survive if you have more than 1 or 2 kids in town.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 2:12pm

• Mathew Dillman

  I urge the city to rethink an economic future beyond hotels. Stop fighting the sharing economy. Please take the time to learn how to embrace it so that both the city and it’s citizens can prosper.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 2:21pm

• G. Merrick

  My fellow STR hosts and I make a big contribution to NYC’s economy. We host middle class families and groups from around the world who come to NYC for their “dream vacation”. These guests could not afford to stay in a hotel. They need the convenience of a kitchen and laundry and love living like “real New Yorkers” in a nice neighborhood ( where there are no hotels).

  These guests spend their money in local delis and restaurants. (They have helped my Bed Stuy neighborhood snap back quickly from Covid). My guests go everywhere in Manhattan and always get get cheap seat to Broadway shows.

  Don’t take our contribution for granted. This goose is laying golden eggs!

  Comment added January 2, 2023 5:26pm

• Andrey Sad

  Registration is too complicated comparing with other states and regulation mostly targeting hosts, middle class Newyorkers, for whom their own city became so expensive and Airbnb is very good help for us.

  Comment added January 2, 2023 6:22pm

• Vanessa

  This is completely unfair. We provide housing to tourists, running a small business most of us to provide for our families. New York has to do better!

  Comment added January 2, 2023 7:06pm

• Linda

  I am a divorcee with kids. I airbnb my two family home that I live in. Airbnb has made it possible for me to continuously pay my mortgage, while my salary from work goes to other bills and taking care of my kids.
  I have been doing this without public assistance. Taking this away will not only increase the financial burden on my salary, it will also push me towards outside help.

  I love hosting my guests. I live in a residential area and have hosted older adults, young or basically families visiting family. My guests are from all over the world and I cherish what I do and would love the opportunity to continue,

  Comment added January 2, 2023 11:23pm

• Vanessa Bismarck

  I am writing today about the short term rental rules. As someone who has a substantial mortgage to pay, I am deeply concerned about the city dictating what we can do in our own houses as tax payers and active members of the community. Having guests at our house means we can pay off our mortgage and at the same time pay our taxes to the city which are rising every year. It seems to me that hotels and tourism is thriving in the city and that the hotel lobby squashing house owners rights to have paid guests stay is deeply unjust. We are bringing money back to the city. Most guests come to visit kids in college, or their aging parents. They often come as a family and spending money in our local community. Hotels in our area are always booked and not conducive to family stays but more party hotels. I understand the thinking if someone buys apartment buildings to use on airbnb but I really don’t understand a 1/2 family townhouse rule. There aren’t enough hotel rooms to accomodate all the tourists wishing to come to town and cutting into nykers livelihoods.
  Why would the city bend to the hotel lobby at the expense of ordinary citizens who pay their taxes and make up the community of NY??

  Comment added January 3, 2023 10:35am

• Maximilian Weiner

  We have lived in our townhouse in the Chelsea area for almost 10 years. When we bought it, we invested heavily in renovating what was a very dilapidated building into a modern NY home. From the very start, the economics for us involved renting the basement apartment as an AirBNB. We built the apartment accordingly, making sure that all the lighting, egress and fire safety standards were fully up to code. We have also been reporting and paying 5.75% hospitality tax via on all our rentals and declaring our income on our tax returns every year. Right now, in real estate tax alone we pay $70,000 each year. The income from our AirBNB rental is what allows us to cover all these costs and make our life in the City affordable. We do not understand why the City should not allow law abiding property owners in single or 2 family homes like ourselves who have invested in our home and real estate assets to be able to benefit from these assets to the extent that we comply with reporting and paying the taxes that are due. This year alone, we will be contributing in excess of $100,000 to the City. Why must you be so beholden to the hotel cartels who want to shut this all down for their own greed, rather than supporting private citizens who love this City and are merely trying to pay their way legitimately and honestly. Surely there must be a middle way where everyone stands to gain.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 10:42am

• Victor De Vita

  I have owned my house in Bed Stuy for over 4 years now and, while I understand why the City would ban short-term rentals for apartment buildings, private homes should be left out of this ruling. Short Term guests choose not to pay the sky-high prices of hotels while still enjoying the city and spend money at local businesses. It’s absurd that the city would prevent tourists to come and enjoy the city the way they would like to.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 10:57am

• Di Richardson

  It is not fair to us that you regulate how we use our homes and that tax payers are not allowed to do in their homes as they like. Additionally, one thing you all fail to realize is how much short term rentals impact the economy of the city and bring money to many of the small business and establishments in the city. Limiting visitors to only hotels will dramatically decrease the amount of tourists as in today’s time most people rather do a short term rental where they have space rather than being confined to a hotel room.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 11:01am

• M Kam

  I don’t even rent short term but this is ridiculous, callous and unfair. Why it is that tax payers are not allowed to do in their homes as they like. Providing lower cost rentals to tourists encourages even more tourism and bring money back to the city and to small NY businesses etc. This is purely to get money back in the hands of larger corporations instead of every day NY ers that use this as a means of relief during difficult times and it’s pretty sad honestly.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 11:08am

• Veronica LoBue

  Unfair simply because allowing guests into someone’s own home brings money back into the city, specifically smaller businesses.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 12:13pm

• Eric Watts

  I was born in Greenpoint Hospital in Brooklyn New York and lived in the Bushwick housing projects with my grandma and mother. During the crack epidemic, my father was incarcerated for 29 years when I was just 6 years old, and my mother became addicted to drugs. My grandmother tested HIV positive and soon after passed away. I was left to fend for myself and had lived with several family members and spent time in the St. John’s group home for boys in Far Rockaway. Despite my tribulations, my dream of becoming a writer, and an entrepreneur is what kept me alive and out of trouble. When the pandemic hit 2020 was a rough year. My wife lost her job, and my mother died of Covid. My wife and I have three children and decided to Airbnb a portion of our home, which we currently live in to help us make ends meet. Our home is always well-kept, and we receive phenomenal reviews from our guests. On warm days we often share coffee with them in our backyard. The short-term rental has provided a way out for us. It has given us faith that our future can be bright and hopeful, and not doom and gloom. I do understand that they are laws in place, and we took the time to read them all. I believe that we are following all the laws that are in place. We live in our home our guests have their own exit and they have access to the entire home if they choose. I ask that you consider situations like my family’s and allow us to continue to do our legal short-term rental business.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 12:51pm

• Leslie stewart

  These new rules will hurt alot of mom/pop small property owners and underserved areas. Here are benefits to short term rentals:
  *extra income guaranteeing ease of tax payments
  *local businesses will have tourists purchasing from them
  *increase the tourism in NY and will afford tourists more disposable money to shop with due to the savings they get from airbnb and not eating out due to having kitchens
  *helps people who cannot pay for a whole apartment stay in the apt as the tenant and owner agree to airbnb a room.
  *mom/pop owners will not have to deal with evictions as police can more easily remove a problem short term guest which many are not.

  All around the city and its mom/pop owners benefit so why destroy that? And what gives the city the right to see tax returns/ w2s? Are politicians going to determine if a private American can only make so much money per year? Verifying property ownership is one thing but no one has the right to peer into someone’s personal income.

  As for approving places for airbnb guests, are you approving of city owned apts or other apts not being used for airbnb since the city is trying to come off concerned about quality of life? These are not ‘city clients’ these are tourists so why use protocols used for those in the shelter when determining if an apt/ room is fit for stay? It appears the city is on a mission to hurt small owners so they can loose their homes!

  Comment added January 3, 2023 1:09pm

• Leah

  I think it is unfair that tax payers are not allowed to do in their homes as they like. Plus out of towners brings money back into the city and to small NY businesses in area where they may not otherwise be affordable hotels or housing.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 5:21pm

• Kristina Kozak

  I have owned my 2 family in Williamsburg Brooklyn for 25 years. I live in one unit and rent the other unit. My building is older and has no modern amenities, therefore I’m limited to the amount of money I can charge and also to the people who would live in my building. I don’t have an elevator or doorman, no outdoor space, terrace, no gym , no place to store a bike, etc .. I’ve always rented to students and young professionals at below market rates. I’ve had tenants throw massive parties, use the roof without authorization, have boyfriends and girlfriends move in .. upping the occupancy. I’ve had subletters not pay rent, give away my furniture, spray paint my walls, I’ve had a hoarder, I’ve had a girl kick a hole in the wall and throw things off a roof, I’ve had a girl install her AC incorrectly and ruin the hardwood floor, I’ve had guys who don’t clean the fridge causing water to leak and damage the kitchen floor so that it needed to be replaced. The list goes on. I’ve lived with stompers and people who play loud music. Please let me continue to do Airbnb / short term rental. People leave. The apartment gets cleaned weekly, the extra 12-$15,000 I earn above what I would typically rent the apartment out long term helps me pay my taxes, utilities, water and maintain and upgrade my building. I have guests coming to run the NYC marathon, foreigners with kids excited to come to NYC for the first time, families coming for NYU graduation, weddings, to visit children whose own apartments are too small for guests. It’s really short sited of NYC to expect all tourists to be “forced” to stay in overpriced hotels. It’s actually absurd. There is room for responsible short term rentals. Please reconsider the law.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 5:45pm

• Nancy cuocci

  I feel this is an unfair decision as tax payers, homeowners should be allowed to do in their homes as they like – by hosting out of town guests they are bringing money back into the city and to NYC small businesses.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 6:35pm

• Pat M.

  RE: Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement is proposing a rule to implement Local Law 18 for the year 2022, which requires short-term rental hosts to register with the City and prohibits booking services from processing transactions for unregistered listings.

  I am a senior citizen resident of Washington State with family living in Brooklyn. I visit my Brooklyn family 1-2 times a year and have stayed in an AirBnB apartment a few blocks from their home. The apartment works for my budget and the owner is meticulous in detailing the process for my weeklong visit. Further, he acts as a guide/ambassador helping me with neighborhood offerings, events, and restaurants. I would not be able to afford a local hotel if his apartment was not available for my stays.

  I ask you to reconsider your proposed rule and consider its impact on senior citizens, students, and other individuals visiting NYC.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 7:28pm

• Candice

  Short term rentals are the most wonderful way to travel and experience a city, and truly enjoying the community and vibe of the area. It supports local businesses, as hosts can recommend neighborhood spots too. Staying in hotels is fine on some occasions, but as someone who loves to cook, I love having a kitchen in most short term rentals. And so many of the cute neighborhoods I like to travel to, don’t have hotel accommodations where I’d like to stay anyways.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 7:31pm

• Robert R

  Please listen to the countless stories of the real hosts of short term rentals of NYC, and don’t take away this lifeline for so many who depend upon the income generated by renting out a spare room, a second floor unit, or an entire apartment. The vast majority of hosts are real people not corporations who go above and beyond to provide a safe, clean, and affordable option for visitors to enjoy the city in the way they prefer, living like a local in the neighborhoods we call home. The very nature of the rating and review system on platforms like AirBnB self-regulates bad actors on both sides of the equation by blacklisting hosts that recklessly operate subpar properties and do not deliver as promised along with guests who cause problems for our neighbors and us. We provide a stable source of recurring income for cleaners, laundry services, and others that help us deliver exceptional experiences for tourists from all over the world who come to NYC. Grandparents coming to visit family, students exploring our city for the first time, young families who need the space and amenities offered by an apartment not a hotel, and many others who value the experience that short term rentals provide and couldn’t possibly afford to stay in NYC hotels. The idea that this law is genuinely intended to put more properties back into the pool of available rental units is ridiculous, if I am no longer able to share my apartment with others, it will simply remain empty when I am not using it myself. This law benefits no one, and hurts not only me but the people I pay to help provide an exceptional experience for our guests. AirBnB has been a blessing to my life enabling me to offset the high cost of living by sharing my apartment with guests when I am away from the city. Without Airbnb, like so many others I simply could not afford to work in the city. I have sent countless guests to restaurants, bakeries, bars, delis, and other smal businesses in my neighborhood. Those guests have all funneled money into the hands of the owners of these small family-owned NYC businesses. Please find a way to allow those of us who are doing nothing wrong and just providing people with a safe, clean, and affordable place to stay while visiting our great city an option to do so easily. I enjoy hosting guests in my home, have always received the best ratings and maintained superhost status from the beginning, I’ve also never had any complaints from any of my neighbors. The city council and OSE should not be focused on preventing ordinary homeowners like me from sharing their homes with others responsibly by operating a single short term listing on AirBnB. Please don’t allow those who repeatedly receive complaints, those who operate dozens or hundreds of listings, and those with listings in NYCHA properties take away what is truly a lifeline for so many who do their best and are just trying to get by the best that they can under increasingly unaffordable conditions.

  Comment added January 3, 2023 8:54pm

• Anthony

  These new regulations will be unfair to New Yorkers and will force many of us to leave New York.
  Everyone loses with these new regulations – renters, private home owners, small business owners and the NY community.

  I am a host with a health condition that prohibits me from working full time. I work from home and use Short Term Rental to help supplement my rental costs and support my family.

  I work from home. Many people work from home and operate their small business from their homes – yet they are NOT subjected to these kinds of regulations.

  It is not fair to create a regulation and apply it across the board to all housing units.

  Private home owners who paid top dollar a house in this beautiful city needs Airbnb to help pay their mortgages. Granted I believe that restrictions are needed for buildings that were setup initially for affordable housing. However, each housing unit should have different regulations.

  Based on what I am seeing, OSE was stopping the abusers of the Short Term Rental Industry. These strict regulations are not needed.

  The timing is wrong to impose these restrictions on ANY housing unit. People are now coming out of a pandemic and are now facing a pending recession and possibly layoffs. This proposal should be postpone until we clear the current economic financial roadblocks. We are in difficult ecomomic times. As Major Eric Williams said on November 22, 2022 , we are approaching an “ECONOMIC TSUNAMI”, There is a saying you never “Kick a dog when they are down.” You help them get up and they will help others get up.

  Another important benefit of Short Term Rentals is that guests support the local small businesses in the outer boroughs as well as the large scale businesses in NYC – The local Grocery Store, Local Transportation, Uber, Local Coffee Shop, Local Restaurants, etc. are thriving in the outer boroughs!!
  There are other ways to resolve the affordable housing problem in NYC and save the greedy Hotel owners; it is not resolved by forcing New Yorkers, NY communities, renters, condo owners, private home owners and small business owners into an unnecessary “Economic Tsunami’!

  Comment added January 3, 2023 8:57pm

• Sally Sullivan

  My husband and I have stayed at multiple lovely short term rentals in Brooklyn over the past 7 years, as our son lives in Williamsburg. The locations allowed us to walk to our son’s apartment, as well as to the subway to enjoy NYC. It was wonderful to support the local shops, cafes, and restaurants. The experience of the rental allowed us a very personal Brooklyn experience. We look forward to doing it again in the near future. Please don’t take this away! We have supported the local merchants in so many ways.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 12:00am

• Dave R

  I recently stayed in Brooklyn in a short term rental and found the whole experience hugely positive.
  Coming from Australia with small children hotels are largely inaccessible for us, so short term rentals allow us facilities to look after my family.
  We really valued seeing other communities and supporting small local businesses
  Any restriction on access like this would prevent families like mine visiting your great city

  Comment added January 4, 2023 2:31am

• Marley Abbey Wattson

  This law is clearly against the term “FAMILY” who is hosting in their 1-2 Family homes making extra money to pay their mortgage and bills in the most expensive city also “FAMILY”as a group more than 2 people who is visiting nyc. This law will put down Families of NYC and visitors for rich HOTEL PEOPLE.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 8:23am

• Linda Ortiz

  Greetings,
  I am a homeowner in Mott Haven in the the Bronx and am reaching out to you in response to the recent guidelines the Office of Special Enforcement has released regarding Airbnb and Short Term Rentals in NYC.
  I have reviewed the guidance and Law and agree that  unscrupulous hosts using entire apartments for short term rental should be regulated.
  However, the way the current guidance reads negatively impacts those who provide a room in their private home for short term stays – host stays.
  Below I have briefly outlined three important points overlooked by the blanket of regulations. The regulations currently do not take into account privacy and home ownership, local economy of neighborhood and personal supplemental income to those that otherwise could not afford a home in the Bronx.

  1. Brings tourism to areas that otherwise would not benefit from a tourism economy.

  I have hosted Airbnb guests in Mott Haven for over 5 years. Tourists from all walks of life and all over the world have come to Mott Haven and dined on 138th street, learned what “bodegas” are and visited areas in Bronx that were most likely never part of their itinerary.

  2. Helps keep rents from rising.

  Participating as a host via Airbnb has also benefited my full time tenant, as I have never raised the rent – which is currently under market. My tenant, an immigrant- works in Port Morris, in one of the only remaining textile industries in the area. I am able to keep a good tenant, who works and shops in the neighborhood, by subsidizing any future increases by hosting Airbnb in my home.
  I understand housing is an important platform for you and your constituency.

  3. Helps with maintenance and repairs

  After my marital separation, I was able to afford to fix my roof, buy a new hot water heater, conduct emergency repairs and anything else related to the maintenance and up keep of a home on my OWN- because of the extra income earned from Airbnb.

  I ask you to please support homeowners of 1-2 family homes in your district that participate in short term rental market from the OSE oppressive guidance and overreach into privately owned homes.  There will be an online hearing on January 11, 2023 and I hope your and your team attend.

  I am a government employee, and  would not be able to afford the increase in property taxes, gas, electric and water in addition to repairs without supplemental income I receive from hosting stays in my home.

  Best,

  Linda Ortiz
  917-825-5685

  Comment added January 4, 2023 9:05am

• Jeff J

  When I travel to NY, I strongly prefer apartments to hotels. Whether staying with a family or renting an entire space, I appreciate having access to the kitchen, laundry and other comforts of staying in a home rather than a hotel. They let me travel and live like a local.

  When I first began traveling to NYC for work and fun, I would use Booking.com, Homeaway, or Airbnb to learn about new neighborhoods instead of always staying by time square. The rates were better, I got to meet new people, and I felt safer being in a residential neighborhood than I do amongst a bunch of body painted topless women and Disney characters hounding me for a few bucks and a picture.

  Once I found a neighborhood I liked, I started booking with the same same family over and over. They have a great spot that I’ve enjoyed.

  Unfortunately, now that I’m trying to book them for a July visit – they are telling me they are stopping new rentals due to these new registration rules.

  Win for the Time Square Sheraton, I guess?

  Comment added January 4, 2023 9:31am

• New Dev

  Hello, I am developing a short term booking website. I would like to comply with your law. However, I am concerned that with <30 days until roll out you have not yet published API specs or other documentation for how I should validate a property is properly registered.

  Developing software takes time. Integration testing takes time. With January 11th quickly approaching and May enforcement not long after that, I'm worried I might have to leave NYC and focus on other cities.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 9:37am

• Richie

  This is what it has come to where law makers want to take away the food off the table for hard working New Yorkers Host. These tax paying Host help electing politicians in power, now politicians are shutting them out.
  Let us remind these leaders that Host are just here providing visitors and Guest with great community experience while the help to cover their expenses.
  Remember small Mom and Pop Landlords Host got no direct help during COVID, instead they were left to fend for themselves.
  Why are elected Leaders killing the American Dream? Total nonsense.
  Let’s keep our Small Bed and Breakfast Host alive and Active!

  Comment added January 4, 2023 9:49am

• Sam white

  I shouldn’t be barred from renting an Airbnb and forced to stay in a hotel. If someone owns their home, that person should be able to do whatever he or she wants without rules that make it difficult to do so.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 12:01pm

• nicole y

  My comment requests that this proposed regulation not be passed. I travel to Brooklyn 2 times per year to visit my brother. His home is not large enough to accommodate me or my family so we rent a short term rental around the corner from him. Losing the ability to rent short term will be detrimental to our family connections. While renting we spend money at local grocery stores, restaurants, attractions, as well as providing work to local trades such as cleaning services, electricians, plumbers, etc.. Losing the ability to rent short term will make our visits cost prohibitive, reducing the number of visits.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 1:50pm

• KY

  I have had many positive experiences at short-term Airbnb rentals that a hotel room would never be able to offer. The perks of feeling home, being able to cook, and getting to know local cultures are unparalleled. This proposed law is ridiculous and I do not see any benefits of this towards either the host or the guest.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 2:36pm

• Melanie T.

  I am writing to urge the MOSE to reconsider Local Law 18. I recently visited New York with my husband and two children (10 & 12) and stayed in a Williamsburg Air BnB. It was really the remotely affordable lodging we could find for a family of four, and we were grateful for two bedrooms, a washing machine and some space to stretch out in.

  Although I now live in California, I am familiar with New York and was grateful to have the opportunity to stay in an actual neighborhood. I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere near Times Square! We patronized numerous local businesses during our stay – bodega, bagel shop, pizza, coffee shop, etc.. — and those experiences enhanced our visit greatly. And it was nice to get some respite in a quieter setting at the end of the day.

  I absolutely understand the need to regulate short-term rentals in cities like New York where there is a housing shortage. However, short-term rentals are also great options for visitors to your city! We don’t always stay in short-term rentals -sometimes a hotel makes more sense – but there are times where the availability of a small apartment makes a trip a far more attractive, or feasible, for visitors, especially families. The city should allow these short-term rentals to continue to exist without undue burdens.

  Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 2:57pm

• Robert P.

  I own a small brownstone, I was able to buy it by saving every penny I could for over a decade. I am very fortunate to be able to own a home in Brooklyn but when I lost my job and my tenant stopped paying rent I almost lost everything. After the tenant finally left (the courts didn’t help at all). The only thing that saved me from getting foreclosed on was being able to rent it on airbnb. Now my family relies on that income to keep a roof over our heads. I understand kicking off big landlords or people renting apartments in buildings with lots of units, or rent stabilized apartments. But small landlords who live in the building themselves should not have to register with the city just to make a living. If you only own one property and you live there you should be able to do what you want with it without the city demanding you register. I know the hotel lobby donates millions in campaign dollars but the representatives work for us the people, the folks just trying to get by. Please don’t pass these rules that will crush us and make us lose our homes!

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:03pm

• Violeta W

  It would have been impossible for me to experience a true New York experience if it wasn’t for the week I stayed at an airbnb in Brooklyn. I couldn’t afford to be a month or more there and staying at a hotel is Just not the same. Visiting local shops, bars recommended by the host was perfect and I wish to come back to the same spot next time

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:10pm

• Cali S

  As an actual NYC resident, I fully support this law!! This city is in a housing crisis, and Airbnbs are directly contributing to rent hikes and housing shortages. If you’ll notice, most of the people commenting are tourists and Airbnb hosts — A former airbnb host actually reached out to me and other former guests encouraging us to speak out against this law, which I find despicable. Please keep that in mind as these comments may be skewed due to that. Lastly, I would like to add that plenty of month-to-month leases and subletting still exists without short term airbnbs, and airbnbs are just as expensive as hotels at this point, so it’s irrelevant to act like eliminating short term airbnb rentals will harm consumers in any way. If anything this law would HELP the residents of this city immensely.

  Comment attachment
  Email-screenshot-1.pdf

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:28pm

• Kelli

  I fully support this law! NYC belongs to its residents, not tourists and airbnb. Airbnbs very directly contribute to our housing crisis by taking away affordable units, jacking up the prices, and renting them out to tourists. Most airbnb hosts are not “small business owners” as these comments may claim, most own a multitude of properties across the city, and they should be regulated fairly just as we regulate the hotel industry and landlords. I support short term rentals being REGULATED so that consumers are not taken advantage of, and that neighborhoods can still belong to their residents.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:39pm

• Daisy K

  I support the mayor’s proposed rule. Short term rentals absolutely should be registered with the city. Airbnb has gone unregulated for far too long and it has stolen housing that should belong to nyc residents. Our communities should not belong to property hoarders and tourists, they should belong to the residents!

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:45pm

• Harlemite Airbnb

  The Mayor’s office and the City Council need to demonstrate the ability to appreciate nuance. There is an enormous difference between an absent owner of multiple units in a condo building renting out to large unruly groups for one night at a time, and longtime residents of low-density neighborhoods utilizing spaces within their own privately owned properties to list on airbnb so they can rent to small groups and families, bringing much-needed tourist dollars to underserved neighborhoods and allowing these property owners to pay their mortgages. Harlem is already suffering plenty due to Covid; don’t take away our livelihood, and our ability to show people from all over the richness of our neighborhood.

  The ridiculous rules to cap guests at 2 per stay (regardless of the size of the space being rented??), and to prevent locked doors (which protect both guests and hosts) have to go. There also needs to be some appreciation for the fact that owners of family homes should be able to utilize the spaces within them in ways that best serve their needs.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:55pm

• Danica Lefever

  We have been been AirBnB hosts since 2014. Hosting guests from all over the world has been a joy and a privilege and has made it possible for my family to live and thrive in NYC. If we couldn’t host my husband and I would have had to both work full time to pay the mortgage on our single family home instead of being available to our children and active members of our community. I’m concerned about the new law because even though we will remain legal hosts from our understanding of the law, it seems unlikely that we will be able to list it as it’s own separate space. Our space hosts guests who spend money in our neighborhood at restaurants and businesses that would not otherwise see any tourist dollars as there are no hotels nearby. We work with many of the small business owners to offer recommendations and offers for our guests. We have also hosted many new grandparents who come to the city to help care for new grand babies and want to be near their family. Again, staying in a hotel would be far from our neighborhood and cost prohibitive for multiple weeks. Our space gives them privacy and the ability to make simple meals which is difficult and expensive in hotels. We also are seeing more and more people who come to NY for work. For artists and writers and independent contractors whose work might not come with big expense accounts. Airbnb offers the ability to stay in the city in a much more affordable way than having to stay in a hotel. Many need a short term home away from home on a regular basis. Something that a hotel can not provide. Incidentally, the nearest hotel to our home is over 2 miles away. Please reconsider this bill that hurts not just hard working New Yorkers but the many people eager to get a taste of what it’s like to live in a real New York neighborhood. By all means, crack down on the multi property listings taking apartments off the rental market but please find a better way for those of us who are representing the best of NYC hospitality to the world.

  Comment added January 4, 2023 3:57pm

• Ryan

  This whole thing is so misguided and not actually benefitting the people that it intends to benefit. There will be very few units put on the long term rental market. If people hosting shared spaces wanted a roommate, they would already have one. And if people with 1-2 family homes wanted long term tennants, they would have them. People host for life flexibility and for income. There needs to be a common sense registration system that protects tourists and guests but allows for people in the city to host on a small scale way. We need to look at this as a small business community and not as some corporate actor that is trying to take hundreds of units off the market. Make rules that allow real people to register 1 or 2 units to host, which allows platforms to collect taxes, which uses the review system in place on these platforms to weed out bad actors, engage with New York hosts and values the money that comes in to our neighborhoods from the guests to support our local businesses. There is no other industry or topic that has been so over-regulated like this. STR rules were written to prevent tennament housing. We live in a different time with technology that makes the world better and more accessible. Let’s embrace the possibility.

  Comment added January 5, 2023 1:28am

• Sophie Feather

  Having recently visited NY on holiday and stayed in a short term rental with my husband and two children I find the news that this may soon become impossible very frustrating and unfair. What a sorry state of affairs in this day and age that you are denying people the right to enjoy your city and it’s areas to their full potential. Although it was great to experience the sights of Manhattan, it was brilliant to stay in Brooklyn and enjoy the shops and restaurants there, alongside having our own space to rest and recharge which we definitely could not have done in a hotel room altogether!

  Comment added January 5, 2023 11:47am

• Miltiades Alexandros

  Hello,

  I need the income to be able to afford to keep my family alive and living in NYC. Without it we cannot afford our rent. Many share the same values. You are also ignoring all of the cleaning ladies, many single mothers or immigrants, who rely on the cleaning fees and work to keep themselves alive. You are hurting New Yorkers. These laws don’t benefit anyone.

  Smart laws would be TAXING Airbnb revenue to create LOW INCOME HOUSING, limiting the total amount of days per month or per year you can host guests,

  Seems this aimed against low income and middle income New Yorkers for the benefits of the wealthy hotel owners. Laws written by the lobbys.

  Airbnb hosts should form their own lobby and donate against everyone politician who votes for this bill.

  Comment added January 5, 2023 11:44pm

• S Davis

  Hosts who are denied should have a grace period of 6 months or more to honor bookings that have been made. I agree with the below commentary. Being able to use space to enable grandparents, friends, and other family to visit our neighborhood where there are not hotels nearby is good for everyone. It brings business to our neighborhoods and our city. It makes it easier for families in particular to live in NYC longer instead of moving to other states. Hosts would not necessarily rent these spaces to long-term-tenants.

  Comment added January 6, 2023 9:44am

• Aaron

  Hi I am a single parent and Airbnb has helped me survive and we would have to leave the city if these new rules are put into effect . Dont use a sledgehammer to get rid of the few bad actors just find a way to target them without hurting everyone else please !

  Comment added January 6, 2023 12:26pm

• Pete R

  Limiting options in short-term rentals will only serve to restrict access to many vibrant areas of the greater NYC area. It will make congestion in already congested areas worse as visitors will be forced into fewer areas with hotels only. It will increase prices for visitors due to reduced competition, and threaten the tourism industry as a whole. Were it not for the alternative options, my family wouldn’t have had the chance to explore Brooklyn easily. Our wonderful experience wouldn’t have happened from a hotel stay. Please do not pass this horribly short-sighted law.

  Comment added January 6, 2023 1:09pm

• D Antonio

  This is ridiculous. New York City is already too expensive. Inflation is at an all time high. And absolutely everything is costing us more. This will not only hurt us short term renters but small businesses as well. I live in the Bronx and there are no hotels in this area. We get guests from all over the country that are visiting relatives from the nearby university. We even get guests that are doctors from all over the world that stay a few weeks at a time to do their residency at the nearby hospitals. We recommend local restaurants and stores to all of our guests. If you approve this rule where will all of these tourists go? Corporate hotels in New York City are always full and are very expensive. If you approve this rule there will be less tourists in NYC which means less money for the NYC economy. If you approve this rule I will no longer be able to pay for my apartment and will be forced to move out of New York.

  Comment added January 6, 2023 1:43pm

• Laura Burgess

  I own a private 6 bedroom single family home in Brooklyn. I have hosted wonderful guests on airbnb for 8 years due to financial costs of divorce and raising 3 children in NYC. Without the ability to rent out more than one room I will have to sell my house. As my kids go to college and start their own adult lives I want to rent out their bedrooms as well. If I can not do this I will sell and leave the city. This is devastating to me but I don’t have a choice. I can not pay my mortgage, the high taxes I am now levied with and costs of utilities. I have hosted tourist guests from all over the world, NYC residents who need a place for a few days due to renovations or health reasons, hosted medical students on rotation and grandparents that want to be close to their families. My guests spend money in the stores and restaurants close to my home. They use the transit and visit NYC’s attractions. I love hosting and being an ambassador for NYC but most of all it pays my bills. Please allow me to host more than one bedroom in my 6 bedroom home. Please allow airbnb to collect occupancy taxes if required. Please don’t make me leave this city I have loved for 25 years.
  Laura Burgess

  Comment added January 6, 2023 2:33pm

• Ashley

  Please don’t change the Law. People who like Airbnb can use it and those who do not then they won’t.
  A lot of people work so hard to be super hosts and also to find amazing places you wouldn’t be able to stay if they weren’t on Airbnb.
  This income helps us with bills where some of us have been struggling to find jobs. It has gotten very expansive to live and with airbnb it helps. SO why take away something that benefits both parties.

  Comment added January 6, 2023 4:38pm

• Conny

  As a New Yorker trying to thrive and help my mom who lost her job three years ago. We started to rent out a room and have helped tremendously to help us put food on our table. It’s a way of serving and forming community, it’s a way of hospitality and show how great are the people of New York but it also provides ahi honest and clean way to earn income to be able to eat, pay rent and enjoy some healthy leisure’s activities within NYC.

  I would love to see these rules that are directly and strongly impacting my mm and I to be changed in a way that we can continue servicing and working in a great way.

  Comment added January 6, 2023 10:24pm

• Brooklyn Homeowner

  I have owned and lived in my 2 family home in Brooklyn for almost 17 years. In 2021 I took a 2nd loan mortgage on the property to get some work done on the house itself and pay off some debt. Shortly thereafter, my tenants moved out, with little notice. After prepping and updating the apartment, I decided to open my home to a section 8 tenant. The process was so unnecessarily labored, and arduous. The case workers denied me the 3 bedroom rate. They offered me $300 less a month. They refused to talk to me about it or explain why. They wouldn’t respond to my emails. They wouldn’t respond to calls. Instead they’d tell my agent I’d have to email their manager, which I did, only to again get no response. I lost months dealing with another prospective tenant because of red tape at hra which was making it difficult for her, with her new section 8 voucher, to get the ok to move in. After an ENTIRE YEAR of going back and forth with different caseworkers and potential tenants, I was just turned off to the entire process and decided to use my 1st floor as a short term rental instead.

  Exercising the option to use the 2nd unit for STR not only helped get me out of the financial hardship I was in, but also allowed for the flexibility of having visiting family stay in my home, or hosting family get togethers in that same unit while still providing MUCH NEEDED financial help. This option gives my family room to spread out in MY HOUSE when we need the extra space. My family and I use the space for OUR OWN benefit, when it’s not occupied! After a year of hosting STR, I am just getting back on track after an incredibly difficult year of losses the year prior and now I’m being denied this option to use my home as best suits me. Not only do I lose the income, but I lose the space that my family and I need.

  There’s no city subsidy to help me. I’m not getting a tax break to use my home as the city dictates, rather than what serves my family best. My mortgages aren’t being forgiven because the city says I don’t have the right to use the entirety of my 2 family home for myself, and utilize it for STR to assist me in that process.

  I understand there is a need for regulation, but to go after small, owner occupied homeowners is not the answer. You are hurting one segment of constituents, who have struggled and sacrificed for the dream of home ownership, to benefit others. If equity is what you claim you are doing this for, where is the equity in that?

  If I may add another anecdote as it’s currently playing out. I have a very close friend who is homeless. She was awarded a cityfheps voucher over the summer. There are SO MANY apartments available, but NOBODY is accepting vouchers. As soon as she makes mention of it, they all stop responding. She FINALLY gets fortunate enough to find a landlord, who wasn’t initially open to it, but was willing to give it a shot. That was November. It is now January and she still hasn’t been approved to move into the apartment, due to the absolute ineptitude of her caseworker and everyone in the entire department. The landlord now wants to move on from her as a prospective tenant because she wanted someone in by DECEMBER! And again … It is now January, and still no decision has been made, even though the apartment already passed inspection a month ago.

  Comment added January 7, 2023 5:39am

• Anna

  What home doesn’t have locks on bedroom doors? What guest would want to stay in a shared space where they cannot lock their bedroom door or bathroom?

  Very few buildings meet the zoning requirements for even the shared space listings that would be left legal.

  The registry proposed would be a privacy nightmare for hosts. It’s one thing to provide your address to a verified person on a booking platform after they have paid. It is a completely different thing for every hosts personal information to be available on the internet for anyone to find

  The city is focused on returning homes to the rental market. While a reasonable and well intentioned goal, most listings on Airbnb in NY are rooms / space being rented in a host’s home. That space will not return to the rental market, it will just go idle. If the city wants more housing on the market, they should make it easy for developers to build more housing and offer incentives them to do so.

  Comment added January 7, 2023 1:21pm

• Aicha Barry

  Does the 5th Amendment of the constitution mean nothing in the city of New York? Let me remind you about the 5th Amendment, since you are willing to violate constituent rights with no regards for the law of this country.

  “No person shall be […] deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” Firth Amendment of the US Constitution.

  https://www.change.org/SupportPropertyRightsFreedom — I encourage everyone to sign this petition because local government are become more extremist and passing laws as if they were not part of a United States of America governed under the constitution.

  I am a democrat, and I hope this goes to the Supreme Court so we can have 1 law that governs and reinstates property right uses across the land.

  Comment added January 7, 2023 1:46pm

• Scott K.

  Please reconsider and ultimately rewrite this bill. We understand the problem of landlords that are warehousing apartments and only using them as Airbnbs but the way this bill is now written, you are not only targeting those landlords but also many of the New York City residents who are just trying to hold on and get by. Everything in the city has gotten much more expensive in the last few years. People are moving out, businesses are closing and crime continues to thrive. The typical Airbnb not only gives the owner a little breathing room but also benefits local businesses and brings an influx of tourists that would otherwise be unable to afford a visit to our city. While everyone in the city government gives lip service to doing everything in their power to “bring the city back”, this regulation will do just the opposite. Please find a compromise solution and show us that our city government is representative of all the people who live here and not just for sale to the highest bidder. Residents will take note of how their mayor and their council people handle and vote on this matter. Those same residents will remember this and will vote accordingly in the next elections. As we all know, far too few vote in local elections and a block of motivated voters can make all the difference. Please listen to your constituents now and find a better solution.

  Comment added January 7, 2023 7:18pm

• anna

  Have there been any discussions around imposing a higher tax for short term rental income? This may lead to a healthy compromise and a win win situation for both the City and hosts.

  As we all know, owning and living in NYC is very expensive and it has been a challenge to keep up with the rising cost of living, cost of food, day care expenses, etc. My husband and I both work full-time jobs and we still rely heavily on short term rental income to support our two young toddlers. Many of our friends with young families have been priced out moved out of state, and having been a NY resident for 15 years, it would be unfortunate for us to have to follow suite and leave a city we love so much, due to this change.

  We have over 100 5-star reviews on STR platforms and have loved being part of this community, sharing our love of NYC to our guests. We have partnerships with local restaurants/shops and also live in an area where there aren’t good hotel alternatives. I hope you can give more consideration for owners who are also hosts…good tax paying residents who have called NY their home for over a decade. We would be happy to pay a higher tax in order to continue to operate and live in NY and I’m sure other hosts would agree that this would be a good compromise for all. Appreciate your time and consideration.

  Comment added January 8, 2023 6:14am

• Steven Toledo

  We respectfully request that the city remove the short term registration requirement for owner occupied one and two family homes. We are local community members who appreciate the ability to generate additional needed income, and are not operating as hotels. In our home, we actually prefer long term guests (above three months), and only accept short term guests to fill in any gaps between our long term guests. We should still have the ability to fill a short term vacancy when we have the vast majority (over 80%) of the year with our home being occupied by long term residents in addition to ourselves. Please reconsider the requirement. Thank you.

  Sincerely,

  Steven A. Toledo

  Comment added January 8, 2023 9:39am

• IR

  The comment period on the proposed rules was extended from December 5, 2022 to January 11, 2023. This extension has resulted in a delay of implementing and rolling out the rules to at least 30 days after January 11, 2023. Given this loss of a month of clarity on rules and implementation roll out, the city should also be required to delay the date when enforcement will begin from May 9, 2023 to June 9, 2023.

  The original rules called for a 5 month window from January to May in which everyone could test, evaluate and prepare for the enforcement window. 5 months were already far too short of a window for everyone to prepare.

  With the delay of the registration system roll out, the unreasonably short window is even shorter; and does not provide sufficient time for all parties respond and modify their practices or processes to align with the rules being proposed.

  The city needs time to develop the registration platform.

  Booking sites need time to develop software that will validate and enforce the requirements provided by Local Law 18. As of January 8, 2023 it does not appear any documentation, APIs or integration instructions have been published.

  Providers of short term rentals need time to register with the city. This will include creation of documentation required for submission of applications/registrations, as well as time to correct issues if their registration is rejected.

  If a short term rental owner is rejected or unable to register or must alter existing reservations, they need time to notify those existing reservations of changes based on the new rules/regulations.

  Building owners, coop boards, etc need time to familiarize themselves with the system so that they can register their properties as allowing or forbidding short term rentals

  When Philadelphia rolled out their registration system, they allowed nearly 2 prior to enforcement. New York is a far larger market with more complex laws. It is unreasonable to believe that New York could complete a roll out of such a system in a shorter time period than other cities.

  Please extend the window between the registration system rollout and enforcement to allow sufficient time for all parties to prepare. At minimum, the OSE should provide the full 5 months previously proposed ahead of the December 5, 2022 comment window.

  Comment added January 8, 2023 11:58am

• Afraid of the OSE

  In their January newsletter REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS wrote about Local Law 18 and the proposed rules. The article was written by Aaron Shmulewitz who heads the Firm’s co-op/condo practice. Real Estate Solutions is an expert in real estate law and provides expert testimony and litigation support around real estate law suits.

  The article is attached here. However the summary is that
  Mr. Shmulewitz believes it would be impossible for any apartment owner to truthly certify they meet all of the requirements of the proposed rules and the complex web of state and city codes required for short term rentals.

  “Under the new law, an apartment owner or tenant who wishes to register an apartment must certify to OSE that: (i) such short-term occupancy is not prohibited by a lease or other agreement, and (ii) the apartment complies with all applicable legal requirements for shortterm occupancy, including construction codes. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for a typical apartment owner or tenant to certify either of the foregoing truthfully.”

  If an expert in real estate law believes these laws are complex and hard to comply with, how does any ordinary homeowner or NYC resident have a chance?

  I am sorry to leave this comment anonymously, but I am afraid of the OSE. I have heard stories from other people of Christian J. Klossner and his staff raiding apartments and harassing women and minorities who off their short term rentals on platforms such as Airbnb.

  Christian, have you no shame? Would you parents be proud of the fear your are instilling in NYC residents?

  Comment attachment
  death-knell.pdf

  Comment added January 8, 2023 1:48pm

• Twitter Conversations

  There has been a great deal of conversation on twitter regarding the upcoming local law 18 implementation. I am entering it here as commentary on the law:

  On Dec 29, 2022, Housing Advocate Omari Hardy wrote in response to the new rules: “This is trash. The idea that Airbnb hosts must -live- in the homes they’re renting out on the app is absurd. My wife & I & our baby are not staying with some rando during vacation. And yet we need options that work for our family. Airbnb is great for this.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/OmariJHardy/status/1608458197983195142

  “Doubling down — If market-rate units matter when they’re taken offline by vacation rentals, then market-rate units matter when they are newly built. Yet NYC builds fewer housing units per capita each year than Houston. That’s embarrassing, and it’s why NYC has a housing crisis.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/OmariJHardy/status/1608478062055653376

  Dan Federman (@TheFederman) on Dec 31, 2022 wrote: “Regulation is fine (we already regulate hotels) but holy shit can we please just build more”
  Source: https://twitter.com/TheFederman/status/1609053897959800833

  @schroedinger_ on Jan 1, 2023 wrote: “In NYC the Airbnb crackdowns seem to be at least as much, probably more, about incumbent hotel protectionism as pretending to care about the housing crisis.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/schroedinger_/status/1609084188673855490

  @weareelonmusks on Dec 29, 2022 wrote “Guess what: New York had a housing problem long before airbnb ever existed.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/weareelonmusks/status/1608492443871154182

  Steven (@stevenxlml) wrote on Dec 28, 2022:
  “Good for the city and big corporations. Sucks for small operators that rent out of their room.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/stevenxlml/status/1608283920415481859

  Noah Ruderman (@devilscompiler) a researcher wrote on Dec 28, 2022:
  “Very cool now there’s less incentive for developers to build new housing because they can expect to make less money.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/devilscompiler/status/1608308224410767360

  @TeslaPRGuy wrote on Dec 29, 2022: “There’s more vacant housing units than homeless people by like a factor of 20”
  Source: https://twitter.com/TeslaPRGuy/status/1608545335781072898

  @Brookland718 wrote on Dec 29, 2022: “This city needs 500k apartments built, not 8k. The laws were supposed to bring down multiple listing hosts and illegal hotel operations. Yet, the OSE is targeting 1-2 family home owners in the outer boroughs. Why?”
  Source: https://twitter.com/Brookland718/status/1608479696551047171

  Julien Poulain (@JulienRPoulain) wrote:
  “I’d have been screwed without the option of Airbnb if this sort of law had existed in Paris. I imagine that people who’d want to migrate to New York would now be similarly screwed, damaging NYC’s economic potential.

  Western cities seriously need to get real on housing policy.”
  Source: https://twitter.com/JulienRPoulain/status/1608951512860065793

  Comment added January 8, 2023 2:28pm

• Emma

  This is a ridiculous attempt to protect the hotel industry at the expense of the individuals and small businesses, who are trying to supplement their income and create welcoming spaces in neighborhoods they love. STRs fill a need for transient visitors and workers, encourage visitors to support local small businesses and restaurants, and provide meaningful opportunities for people to make a flexible living in the city.

  If the city is concerned about affordable housing, why not focus efforts on converting under-utilized spaces to provide housing? Actually build more affordable housing. Create programs to provide funds to those in need. Don’t create arbitrary restrictions that penalize and villainize individual citizens in favor of corporate interests.

  Comment added January 8, 2023 3:21pm

• Izzy Mac

  As a resident of New York City, I am a strong advocate for short term rentals and the positive impact they have on our city.

  First and foremost, short term rentals bring numerous benefits to the city. They provide an additional source of income for homeowners, especially in a city with such high living expenses. This extra income can be crucial for small homeowners who may be struggling to make ends meet. In addition, short term rentals provide an economic boost for the city as a whole, as tourists stay in these rentals and contribute to the local economy by visiting restaurants, shops, and attractions.

  The demand for short term rentals in New York City is also undeniable. The city is a top tourist destination, with over 65 million visitors in 2019 alone. These tourists need a place to stay, and short term rentals provide a flexible and convenient option. Hotel rooms can be expensive and lack the amenities and space that many travelers desire, such as a full kitchen and living area. Short term rentals offer a more homely and personalized experience for tourists, which is a key reason they are becoming increasingly popular.

  However, the laws and regulations surrounding short term rentals can be complex and confusing. As a result, small homeowners may struggle to comply with them, leading to fines and penalties. The creation of a registration system is a step in the right direction, as it helps to ensure that bad actors are held accountable. But the current rules under local law 18 go too far and will unfairly impact small homeowners.

  One major concern with the new local law 18 registration system is the invasion of privacy it creates. Homeowners are required to provide extensive personal information, including their full legal name and address, as well as the names and relationships of all permanent occupants in their household. This information is then made available to the public, putting homeowners at risk for identity theft and other privacy violations.

  The impact of these regulations and fines on small homeowners cannot be overstated. As Nathan Rotman, Airbnb’s Head of New York Public Policy, stated, “The proposed rules would create an environment that is hostile to home sharing and would make it nearly impossible for New Yorkers to share their homes and make ends meet.” This sentiment is echoed by small homeowners who have spoken out about the challenges they face due to the new rules. Ben Kallos, Manhattan Borough President, also expressed concern about the impact on small homeowners, stating that “These new rules will hurt small homeowners and do nothing to address the real problems facing our city.”

  It is important to remember that individuals should have the right to rent out their primary homes, whether or not they are present during the rental. This is a common practice for many homeowners who rely on the additional income from short term rentals to make ends meet. Jumane Williams, Brooklyn Borough President, recognized the importance of this income for small homeowners, stating that “These new rules will hurt small homeowners and do nothing to address the real problems facing our city.”

  Overall, short term rentals bring numerous benefits to New York City and should be supported. While it is important to address bad actors and create a registration system, the current local law 18 rules go too far and will disproportionately impact small homeowners. It is crucial to strike a balance between protecting the rights of homeowners and ensuring the safety and well-being of tourists.

  I encourage NYC residents, homeowners, tourists and to attend the January 11th hearing and remind the Office of Special Enforcement and our cities elected officials the importance of short term rentals to our city.

  Comment added January 8, 2023 3:43pm

• Anonymous

  Just adding to the sea of comments here from actual NYC home owners and tax payers for some reasonable ammendments to the rules being proposed. I understand these comments are a regulatory requirement and the OSE is not bound to consider anything here, but I implore the Mayor to step in and do something about this extreme over reach happening under his nose.

  Ben Kallos, the author of the law being implemented here recently said on local TV that their intentions were to stop the megahosts and people running illegal mini-hotels. Small hosts were not their target. I’ve never heard of a 1 room hotel before… So why has the OSE gone after 1 and 2 family home owners in the outer Burroughs? Shouldn’t these rules have public input? If the OSE isn’t even paying attention to the city council, who overseas them?

  This entire thing reeks of the hotel lobby and a city agency with a singular focus on shutting down Airbnb in the largest tourist city in America. How does that make any sense?

  Mayor Adams, we voted for you because we were tired of the di Blasio agenda. Why are we still stuck with his administrations OSE? There are compromises available that will keep the hotel unions happy and support small property owners in the outer Burroughs (like yourself). The state MDL law will keep the hotels safe, what more do they need?

  Just read the comments to see how much anxiety this has caused so many NYC residents. I have to ask, Why?!

  Comment added January 8, 2023 10:51pm

• Anonymous

  On senator Liz Krueger’s website, there is an interview about the MDL update in 2010, she specifically states that freestanding houses should not be banned from STR. So why is the OSE including them in their regulations? Can someone explain this giant policy change?
  https://www.lizkrueger.com/new-york-magazine-the-war-over-airbnb-gets-personal/

  “In 2010, Krueger and State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried presented a bill that made it illegal for New Yorkers living in multiple-unit dwellings to sublet their abodes for less than 30 days. The new law didn’t really compromise ­Airbnb’s original vision. People in multiple-unit dwellings could still have Real World–like experiences by hosting people in their apartments, as long as they stayed present. And owners of freestanding brownstones could do as they pleased. “The effort and even most of the work toward the bill were pre-Airbnb even existing,” says Krueger. “And it was not done with any discussions with the hotel industry,” she adds, rolling her eyes, “because I’m constantly accused of ­shilling for the hotel industry.”

  Comment added January 8, 2023 11:49pm

• Fomor

  I am writing to express my concern about the burdensome requirements of local law 18 for short term rentals. I understand the need for regulations to address illegal hotel operators, but I believe that the current rules go too far and will unfairly impact those who are simply trying to earn extra income by renting out their primary residence.

  I strongly urge the city to exempt primary residences from these onerous requirements. Many New Yorkers, especially those with young families or fixed incomes, rely on short term rentals as a way to make ends meet. These requirements will make it practically impossible for them to continue doing so, and will leave them with few options other than to leave the city or struggle to make ends meet.

  I urge the city to find a solution that addresses the concerns about illegal hotel operators, but also allows New Yorkers to continue to use short term rentals as a legitimate source of income. Thank you for considering my comments.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 3:52am

• I write poetry

  Oh Christian Klossner,
  Your reign of terror
  On short term rental owners,
  Has caused much error.

  You raid their homes,
  Harass and intimidate,
  For offering a service,
  That makes them so great.

  But these are not criminals,
  Just people trying to make ends meet,
  By sharing their homes,
  And offering a seat.

  So please, Christian Klossner,
  Hear our plea,
  Let short term rentals be,
  And set them free.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 3:57am

• Keith

  These new restrictions are going to destroy my quality of life. I am a New York native and I have been an Airbnb Host for over 5years. I am a single father and I and rent an apartment in bed stuy where I work and my son goes to public school. In 2016 my son was 2 years old and I was married to his mother. We decided to buy a modest house in Rockaway that was close to the beach. Our plan was to use the house when we wanted and to make some rental income on Airbnb when we weren’t using the house. The house needed some renovations so we began working with a contractor. Unfortunately the renovations went way over budget and took much longer than expect and during the process our marriage began to deteriorate. We separated in 2017 and I was living in the Rockaway house during the renovation. The renovation and the divorce plunged me into tremendous debt and my life into chaos. I had no choice but to airbnb the house as much as possible to make ends meet. Eventually I borrowed money from a friend so I could move back to bed stuy so I could be near my work, my son and his school. At this point airbnb revenues represent about 1/3 of my income and cover the costs of owning the Rockaway house. We enjoy the house a few times a year but the only way I can afford it is through short term rentals.

  With these new restrictions I will be forced to sell my house at a time when the housing market is not strong. I will have to tell me son that I can no longer afford to own the beach house that he loves so much, that he has grown up in and where he learned to swim.

  Rockaway does not have a strong traditional rental market. My house is not suitable for permanent tenants. It’s too large and there is a very limited pool of potential tenants for this type of property.
  There are very few hotels in Rockaway and I believe I am offering a much needed service for people who want to visit the area. My guests eat at local restaurants, shop at local stores and use the ferry and subways. I feel peripheral zones such as Rockaway should be excluded from these new restrictions.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:44am

• Izzy Mac

  Boston University Professor Dr. Michael Salinger conducted a study and analysis of these proposed rules and found they would have a negative impact on the city economy, and no impact on the availability of housing stock. How do we refocus our attention on changes that will actually help our city?

  More details on the findings of the study can be found here: https://news.airbnb.com/report-finds-new-rules-would-impact-new-york-citys-local-tourism-industry/

  Comment attachment
  2022.12.03-Expert-report-of-Professor-Michael-Salinger-for-Airbnb.pdf

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:23am

• Izzy Mac

  Here are a series of interviews posted over the weekend with hosts about the importance of short term rentals to their lives:

  Sandy and Mo are teachers and healthcare workers in NYC. They rely on short term rentals to pay their expenses.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhO4Lo5Ty9s

  Mike and Sharon have been hosting since 2009 and rely on the funding from short term rentals to support their family.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1ZA0LVlWxc

  Kate is a retiree and widow on Staten Island and relies on her short term rental income to continue to afford the city she has lived in all her life and loves.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zEex9IRZUk

  Please consider real new yorkers and the impact your actions are having on us.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:29am

• Sarah

  I have a small cleaning business that I started 4 years ago and have grown to support me and my family. My clients are mostly Airbnb hosts who need weekly housecleaning and pay me at a very fair rate.

  I enjoy what I do and making my clients happy. I enjoy being able to make a decent living for myself and provide a service to my local community.

  With the new proposed law, I’ve lost many clients which is making it increasing difficult to keep my business afloat. Airbnb not only provides income to host but also to many others in the community who need work. My husband is a handyman and is experiencing the same drop in business as I am.

  Please help there to be a way forward so that businesses like mine aren”t forced to shut our doors.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:32am

• MC

  I’m opposed to the draconian nature of this law – I’ve been sharing my home since 2011, and without the additional income, I would have not been able to afford my “rent stabilized” rent which is just a little under market rate, but still unaffordable for a older, single woman looking at an abysmal job market. Please loosen some of these restrictions so I can afford to stay in my home of 15 years. Thank you

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:40am

• David Serana

  DURA LEX SED LEX! But the leaders who invented this law are MORE HARSH AND CRUEL! This law is Anti-Trust biased and heavily favoring the bankrupt Hotels who give big election money to elected politicians and the new generation is not booking the hotels because of their costliness and over-expensiveness. This is an Anti-free market competition law smothering the homeowners. Eventually, the hotels will perish together with the troglodytic ideas of feudalistic politicians propagating this economic cancer discriminating homeowners. No wonder the glory of Greece and and the grandeur of Rome perished perpetually from the face of the earth due to anachronistic, corrupt, and tunnel-vision leaders. Hardworking New Yorkers are like the Man with the Hoe, finding no time to disagree with our leaders and overloaded with work to pay high expenses to survive in New York City. I hope the New York Homeowners will unite and elect leaders who will advocate for the rights of homeowners. May God bless New York City!

  Comment added January 9, 2023 12:55pm

• Joemily

  As a taxpayer for both my two-family home as well as the income made on Airbnb, I do not understand how this proposal is legal. My listing attracts tourists around the world who are positively contributing to NYC economy by eating at local restaurants, frequenting the transportation system, and visiting tourist attractions. These tourists want authentic NYC living experience and should have options that aren’t just hotels. The passing of this legislation would result in numerous tourists being displaced who may be forced to cancel their plans and take their business elsewhere, as well as negatively impact the livelihood of hard working New Yorkers who depend on STR income.

  A new poll found the majority of NYC voters support short-term rentals continuing in the city and believe New Yorkers should be allowed to share their homes.
  Some of the survey’s key findings:
  79% of NYC voters believe that Airbnb rentals should be allowed in private one and two family homes.
  65% of NYC voters believe that New Yorkers should be able to rent out their homes on Airbnb.
  Only 5% of NYC voters believe that companies like Airbnb are one of the biggest causes of rising housing costs.

  Full article: https://news.airbnb.com/new-yorkers-support-airbnb/
  Poll findings: https://news.airbnb.com/report-finds-new-rules-would-impact-new-york-citys-local-tourism-industry/

  Comment added January 9, 2023 1:00pm

• Erika T

  I am a single parent who is fortunate to have a two-family townhouse in Crown Heights – to help me pay my mortgage I regularly rent out the studio apartment in the lower level of my house through Air BnB, which has been a lifesaver given my work/financial situation. I don’t want to have a full-time tenant because when I have family in town they use the space.

  I understand the concern around companies who rent/buy multiple apartments and basically run a business by renting them out short-term, which has affected the availability of affordable apartments. But that situation is very different than that of individual homeowners like me, who use the extra income they get through Air BnB to support their families and keep them in their homes.

  I also think it is important to note that for the most part, the people who stay with me are people who would likely not be able to come to New York City if they had to pay $300-500/night for a hotel, or if they came they wouldn’t stay as long because of the extra expense. These people help support local businesses in my neighborhood, go to shows and museums, and (especially those visiting from abroad) do a LOT of shopping. Some of them specifically want to be in my neighborhood because they are here visiting family nearby, and there are no local hotels to accommodate them. The city would be losing out on all of these people’s spending and tax revenue if it eliminates affordable housing options like my studio apartment.

  I hope these new regulations will be reconsidered, and crafted to solve the problem at hand, not create new ones.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 2:02pm

• Kerry Fulton

  We don’t do what hotels do – we are not competition. Many of my guests aren’t in NYC to be traditional tourists. They want to shop the second-hand stores, get tattoos and eat locally, they support the wider local community financially, and if you make it more difficult the community will suffer. I end up having a personal relationship with my guests – I take them on walks in the neighborhood and introduce them to a part of the city they may not otherwise see. It is a very specific and different kind of relationship than one might have with a hotel.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:04pm

• Lalibela Rigaud

  I plan to rent out my apartment on weekends using platforms such as Airbnb, booking, etc. I am not able to continue to afford the rent and renting it out will help tremendously. Please understand most of us are just looking for ways to survive in the world today with increases in pricing for everything.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:09pm

• I write poetry

  Verse 1:
  Christian Klossner’s reign of terror,
  He’s out to get us all,
  He wants to shut down short term rentals,
  And make our lives so small.

  Chorus:
  But we won’t back down,
  We’ll fight for what’s right,
  We’ll stand up to Christian Klossner,
  With all our might.

  Verse 2:
  Nathan Rotman’s fighting back,
  For Airbnb and hosts galore,
  He knows the value of our rentals,
  And he won’t let us be ignored.

  Chorus:
  But we won’t back down,
  We’ll fight for what’s right,
  We’ll stand up to Christian Klossner,
  With all our might.

  Verse 3:
  Juamanne Williams and Gale Brewer,
  They’ve joined the fight with might,
  They know that primary residences,
  Should not be treated so slight.

  Chorus:
  But we won’t back down,
  We’ll fight for what’s right,
  We’ll stand up to Christian Klossner,
  With all our might.

  Verse 4:
  We’ll keep on fighting,
  Until the battle’s won,
  We won’t let Christian Klossner,
  Take our rentals from us, one by one.

  Chorus:
  But we won’t back down,
  We’ll fight for what’s right,
  We’ll stand up to Christian Klossner,
  With all our might.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:42pm

• I write poetry

  I wrote a song about the atrocity that is your interpretation of the MDL and local city laws on short term rentals. I hope you’ll allow me to perform it during the Jan 11th hearing.

  Verse 1:
  We need short term rentals, in the city that never sleeps
  A place to stay, for tourists to keep
  But Local Law 18, oh what a mess
  It’s a burden on hosts, and a total excess

  Chorus:
  Short term rentals, we can’t live without
  The city needs them, there’s no doubt
  But Local Law 18, it’s a damn shame
  It’s hurting hosts, and causing a lot of pain

  Verse 2:
  Juamanne Williams and Gale Brewer, they see the light
  They want to carve out, a place for primary homes to stay right
  Ben Kallos regrets, the monster he made
  He thinks homeowners should be able, to rent while they’re away

  Bridge:
  This battle rages on, between Christian Klossner and Nathan Rotman
  But we won’t give up, we’ll keep on standin’
  For the right to rent, our homes in peace
  We’ll fight Local Law 18, and never cease

  Outro:
  Short term rentals, we need them in this town
  They bring in tourists, and keep them all around
  We won’t be silenced, we’ll make our voices heard
  We’ll defeat Local Law 18, and spread the word

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:50pm

• Ashley C Lareau

  I have stayed in several lovely and safe Airbnb rentals over the past few years when I come to Brooklyn to visit my son. This has been a Godsend for us because his small apartment is on the fourth floor with no elevator. (I’m almost 70 years old!) When I do stay with him, I have to sleep on his sofa – not the most comfortable accommodations! Being able to stay near him, yet not with him, allows us to spend time together but still have our own space. There are no decent hotels in the area, so there is no other option!

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:50pm

• Gayle M.

  The proposed Local Law 18 imposes a crippling burden on working class and middle class homeowners.

  These NYC tax payers, the backbone of our city, are badly affected by the current inflation. Many are retirees who have seen their retirement funds drop by 25%. They are bravely trying to make ends meet by renting out a room or a living space in their primary residence. Renting space on Airbnb is a lot of work and these folks would not do it if they did not need the money.

  My fellow short term rental hosts and I make a big contribution to NYC’s economy. We host middle class families and groups from around the world who come to NYC for their “dream vacation”. These guests could not afford to stay in a hotel. They need the convenience of a kitchen and laundry and love living like “real New Yorkers” in a nice neighborhood ( where there are no hotels).

  These vacationers stay for a week, not a month. By limiting rentals to a month, New York City will lose these tourist dollars. Small businesses will suffer.

  These guests spend their money in local delis and restaurants. Prosperity is spread across all boroughs, not just Manhattan. Tourist dollars have helped my Bed Stuy neighborhood snap back quickly from Covid.

  My guests eat in popular neighborhood restaurants and buy lots of pizza, grocery and bakery items. They ride subways and Ubers to Manhattan museums and tourist spots and always take the whole family to a Broadway show.

  New York City will miss our guests if they leave. Don’t take our contribution for granted. Don’t kill the goose laying golden eggs!

  Comment added January 9, 2023 4:54pm

• Natalia

  What the city of NY is implementing is extremely unfair, not only does renting my studio help me tremendously especially in an economy where we are all struggling but this would take away from many others that benefit on a day to day basis. Like our cleaning lady that is able to earn money to buy her medications, or my friend that’s a handy man and is always available to fix something, or the local bodegas, restaurants, supermarkets, flower shops, bars, taxis, bakeries, churches, laundromats, coffee shops and many many more that I recommend to my guests. My house is not a hotel, we cater to many that travel from near and far to visit their children, elderly parents, long distance partner, etc. This new rule will affect millions of people in NYC all for the benefit of hotels that are already making millions of dollars.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:03pm

• Marta

  Hola soy Marta y limpio un airbnb en queens. Estoy muy triste porque ya no tengo un trabajo limpiando el airbnb de mi sobrina. Soy mayor de edad y me queda dificil buscar otro trabajo, este trabajo me queda muy cerca y me ayuda para comprar mi medicina porque estoy muy enferma. Ya sin trabajo no se que voy hacer tendre que depender de mi hija pero ella tambien tiene su familia que tiene que mantener. Por favor piensen bien esto porque muchos seremos afectados. gracias.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:07pm

• Natalie

  This sounds like pressure from the Hotel Lobbyists.
  We are normal human beings who are part of the vital small business economy.
  We contribute immensely to the sustainability of our locally owned businesses. We generate millions of dollars to local economies.
  What seems to be the problem is that you want to control us to ensure money can be put in your pockets or that you can appease the hotel lobbyists.
  The cost of living is one of the highest in the world. You should be focusing on having landlord tenant laws amended. There are professional abusers of the landlord tenant laws that make many of us lose our homes since we are helpless when it comes to justice being served. Focus on making the eviction process to be within 90 days instead of up to a year and more!
  This whole situation is about the big fish trying to eat the small fish.
  Politricks. We are law abiding citizens who are trying to take care of our families and make a significant contribution to our neighborhoods.
  Hotel revenue has not been impacted, so what’s your real issue here. 10 years of Hosting on Airbnb and I’m still waiting to see the negative impact on the local economy. Please find something better to do with your time.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:36pm

• George Paul Thompson III

  As a short-term rental host in New York City, I am extremely disappointed in the OSE’s interpretation of local law 18. The regulation, which requires hosts to register their rentals and pay a fee, is an unnecessary burden on homeowners like myself who rely on short-term rentals as a source of income. To make matters worse the OSE has taken the strictest possible interpretation of all the laws in question and used this interpretation to basically make it impossible to rent on a short term basis.
  The process of registering my home and providing a diagram of my living space is intrusive and time-consuming. The public does not need to know the layout of my home, only renters do. I should not have to disclose names and personal information about family members who live with me when registering. Some of my family members work in sensitive positions, others have been victims of internet stalking and worked hard to keep their personal information offline. Now if I try to protect their privacy, I could be hit with a $1,000 fine for my first violation and $5,000 for subsequent violations. Why are you asking me to choose between protecting my loved ones and obeying the law?
  To make matters worse, Christian Klossner and the OSE have demonstrated that they are more than happy to fine small homeowners just as aggressively as they do large scale offenders. As Public Advocate Jumanne Williams pointed out in a 2019 interview with The City, “We were clear our intent is not to go after one- and two-family homeowners… We thought we had a partnership with the city. But the administration looks like they’ve opened up a can of wild, wild west whoop-ass on them.” [1] If the goal is returning housing stock to the market why were more than one third of the fines you gave out in 2019 targeted at single and two family homes?
  Former Ben Kallos who wrote Local Law 18 that your rules are based on told Fox5 in a December interview that he felt the OSE should leave homeowners alone, and that they should only focus on bad actors. He even went as far as to say that home owners should be allowed to rent out their homes when not present; as Airbnb was originally intended. [2]
  I understand the city’s desire to crack down on illegal hotels and protect housing availability, but this law goes too far. It unfairly targets small home owners like myself who are simply trying to make ends meet in an expensive city. The negative impact of local law 18 is not just limited to hosts like myself. It will also harm the local tourism industry and the economy as a whole.
  NYC & Co has said NYC will see 61.7M visitors in 2023. Short term rentals are key to serving this population and the $60B in economic benefit that tourism creates.
  In conclusion, local law 18 is a misguided and overly burdensome regulation that does more harm than good. It is unfair to small home owners and will have negative consequences for the local tourism industry and economy. Please send this legislation back to the city council with a recommendation that they simplify the MDL and building codes so as to make it clearer who is and who is not allowed to rent. Ask the City Council to create a better framework which offers the OSE less leeway in their arbitrary determinations of what is and is not legal.
  Sincerely,
  GPT III

  [1] https://www.thecity.nyc/housing/2019/4/5/21211166/small-homeowners-pay-big-fines-for-short-term-airbnb-style-rentals

  [2] https://www.fox5ny.com/news/airbnb-hosts-in-new-york-city-brace-for-changes

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:39pm

• Warren Woodberry Jr.

  Placing restrictions on Airbnb that can hamper hosts’ efforts to provide guests affordable stays and enjoyable experiences could be a detriment to New York City and I implore our leaders to reconsider this proposal.

  New York City may be the most popular city in the nation, but it is also the most expensive. Given the economic challenges the city and nation faces, now more than ever do leaders need to come up with innovative ways to provide and maintain local services.

  Tax dollars are at the root of that support, and Airbnb through the years has help fund city initiatives with hosts and guests who have happily contributed to our tax base.

  As a host myself, I have benefitted with supplemental income from Airbnb that contributes to mortgage and tax payments, as well as upgrades to my property which enhances the neighborhood.

  Local businesses benefit from the patronage of guests who support local business.

  The guests themselves get the opportunity to visit and spend their dollars here, while saving and budgeting on their own expenses.

  And lastly, Airbnb benefits as well, with guests booking through hosts like myself they can continue providing housing options for those who visit our city.

  The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us and from the looks of it, economic forecasts show a very bleak future ahead. I think it will be poor judgement to bind the hands of those involved with Airbnb at a time when such innovations as this platform can help get us through what will be challenging times ahead.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:50pm

• Stephanie Hernandez

  This law is an absolute disgrace. This proposed change will not only significantly disturb local businesses that benefit from the visitors to the area but it also greatly impacts options for guests visiting family when there are NO other hotels available. Our unit is used for Airbnb PART time when unoccupied based on work trips and having this change simply means the community will suffer economically and our own living expenses will become unmanageable. Is that the goal for this change? To be unable to live in our own property?

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:53pm

• Barblin Mayhew

  The newly introduced law would not only prevent travelers from all over the world to experience the beautiful city of New York but also affect many New Yorkers from actually financing their homes. We’ve hosted many families from all over the world with children or traveling parties of friends who otherwise would not have been able to afford a trip to NYC because of the terribly high hotel rates.
  Our Airbnb is a lovely way for us as home owners to connect with people, we love for them to get the best tips from us locals and we would love to continue to offer this kind of NYC experience.
  Let alone we obviously love having the financial contribution to our mortgage and would rather continue offering our Garden Apartment to Airbnb guests than having a tenant or be able to only host month long stays.
  There is no way that the city would actually benefit from the income that Airbnb hosts would lose as the travelers wouldn’t be able to afford the stay in hotels anyways. And the city would subsequently also lose these travelers taxes spent on anything else during their trip.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:53pm

• Tiana Thomas

  This is unfortunate that the city wants to stop us from hosting people from all over the world. Airbnb has been a pillar during Covid-19 for so many people that were unable to get any accommodation at a hotel or motel. Us Airbnb hosts have not committed any crime all we have done is try to make a honest living and create additional accommodations for families that want to visit NY. My Airbnb is supporting my family if you take this away from us how do we manage?! How do we provide for your children ? My guests speak highly of our home because it makes them feel at home. There is no hotel within 10 miles of my Airbnb do you know how much people appreciate this convenience. This is depressing and I’m honestly dumbfounded. This is a selfish decision to make and it will affect families all over the world!

  Comment added January 9, 2023 5:53pm

• Aminata Lambey

  I am opposed to the City’s required registration of my personal property. I own my condominium and believe I have the right to rent out portions of my home when additional sources of income are needed. I pay property taxes to the City for my apartment. And rental income tax for monies earned.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:01pm

• Odalix Cruz

  I’m writing to ask that you put strong regulations on Airbnb. I know some people use Airbnb to rent out rooms in their houses, and I have no problem with that, it’s a good way to make some extra money. But that’s not the issue here. The issue is people buying up apartments just to turn them into Airbnb’s, sometimes even whole apartment buildings. There are so few available apartments in my neighborhood, I can’t imagine what would happen if a whole building got turned into short term rentals. If our kids grow up and want to find a place the neighborhood, they won’t be able to find one, or they won’t be able to afford it. Airbnb is destroying communities and turning New York into a playground for tourists. We live here, we are New York, and we need you to protect us by regulating Airbnb.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:09pm

• Marlene Prieto

  It’s imperative for the economy to flow and be able for home owners to pay mortgages and be part of providing living space for travelers all over the world because they come and give to the city of New York, when they eat out and attend special events, with the money they save from expensive hotels. Restaurants, Movie Theaters, Shops. Home owners pay higher taxes each year to be able to be owners in New York City, because if this rules come through many home owners will relocate where they’re can be peaceful home owners and not pay so much in interest to banks and taxes and insurance. People need a place to live no matter what don’t make it much difficult thank you.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:10pm

• Rachel Gueyr

  This regulation seems draconian and is not solving the problem of housing affordability or apartments being taken off the market. It’s simple, just make it so that no one can have more than one listing. That way you’ll know it’s not someone buying/leasing/renting in bulk. Is it even constitutional to say someone can’t use an apartment they OWN for their own private purposes? This regulation as written just serves special interests, not real New Yorkers. If there are problems with behavior in the rentals, that should be the purview of the landlord/co-op or condo board to fix, not the city government. If neighbors have a problem they can resolve it with their neighbors, not the city government. Tax the income, yes, but don’t kill STR “golden goose” that is allowing so many people to keep living in NYC! Everyone who comes to visit me stays in an Airbnb and has had a great experience – probably 25 over the past 5 years. Hotels are not realistic for people on budgets who may want to cook their own meals or have more than 24 sf of space to move around in.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:10pm

• Andrea Fisk

  I am the owner of a two family townhouse in Bushwick. We enjoy renting our second unit on a flexible basis because we have family visit us for extended periods of time, but we can also rent it during other months, to help pay our mortgage. Because NYC’s tenant rights are so strong, this is not something we would be able to do if we opened up this unit to long term tenants, as we would not be able to ask them to leave to allow our family to visit. This flexibility works well for us, and during the pandemic lockdown in 2020, we were able to offer up our space, for free, to a traveling nurse, through an AirBnB program. We have been hosting for four years now, and 99% of our guests have been extremely courteous and respectful.

  I understand there is a housing crisis in this city, but using the excuses of rising crime (I haven’t heard of vacationing guests as a statistically significant cause of crime) and leveraging archaic laws from the 1800’s about boarding houses is an inappropriate way to address this crisis in a fair and open way. The high cost of housing also affects individual homeowners, like myself, and we would like some input into the creation of these laws and processes.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:11pm

• Ben

  Restricting STR in New York City does not make any sense whatsoever? I make my home available for guests from all over the world that would not visit my neighborhood otherwise. There are no hotels in my neighborhood and the closest hotels are ridiculously expensive. Not only that but I give all my guests local recommendations for restaurants, shops, stores etc… so this benefits everyone (including all the money my guests spend on NYC transportation or entertainment). The large corporate hotels do not give their guests local recommendations and do not support local businesses? Why does New York City want to restrict something great that only supports local businesses and brings more money into neighborhoods that are not mainstream tourist destinations? Please do not restrict STR in NYC! This is very important and vital to so many small local businesses / hosts in NYC.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:20pm

• Tiffany

  I oppose this proposed legislation. What people do with/in the privacy of their home; whom they have as guests, paying or not, should be considered Private!

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:25pm

• Azar

  The proposed changes to air bb in nyc will affect my families well being tremendously. Since the pandemic we have been able to navigate through the economy with lost income from our profession with the sole help of the air bb platform. As a super host I have complied with ever city requirement in my area. I’ve been able to help increase local businesses by hiring a cleaning staff, on call repair contractors, local tourism, dining and I’m paying taxes on all income. The current proposals will impact the lives of many in a negative way.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:29pm

• Cynthia A.

  Please create a fair STR framework for Hosts in 2023. We need this platform to pay my monthly mortgage, utilities, and taxes. Inflation is not ending for now. The costs of living is rising. The interest rates are on the rise.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:30pm

• Diana

  Shame on those who are trying to stop our freedom of earning an honest living and ability to survive. The hotel industry has obviously lined the pockets of those involved. Big businesses/hotel industry making more money, the rich getting richer what a surprise.

  This law is an embarrassment. You should focus on people renting out rent stabilized apartments or turning entire buildings into illegal hotels.
  bureaucracy designed to eliminate short term rentals and small people from making any money is pathetic.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:38pm

• Naama Bloom

  We live in a 2 family home. Being able to rent out our garden unit enables us to have it available for family when they visit and make some income to help subsidize the cost of living in this city. I don’t believe the STR rule should apply to home owners who live in their property and have only 2 units. There are numerous reasons for not renting out your second unit including needing to have an available location for aging family members.

  I think this rule is too broad – it treats home owners who do STR to subsidize their living expenses in the same way that people who are leasing up 10s or 100s of units in the city to do STR equally. The use cases are very different and should be treated that way.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:40pm

• Amir

  I m deeply disappointed with these new rules as this was extra income for my kids who will start college next year.
  Why can’t you come up with something better then just cut off short rental. Why is it that you want all tourists to remain in Manhattan. In St George, Staten Island there isnt one hotel. With having people do airbnbs now you have tourism off Manhattan. Restaurants are getting more tourists. Bodegas, laundromat cleaning people everyone is benefitting. Why can’t you come up with a better plan at least for the months of summer December or spring break when tourists fill up NY. Where will all tourist go now? They will take the ferry to take pics of Statue of Liberty and go right back to Manhattan. Why can’t 4 boroughs have some tourism ? Insane rules. And then we asking why people want to leave New York… please consider something that will help small owners too. Amir

  Comment added January 9, 2023 6:42pm

• Ingrid D

  The proposed rules are a sham. A cover for the NYC government officials that are in the pockets of the hotel union and lobbyist. No one can tell me otherwise after listening to the local politicians during the last public hearing. There are many positive contributions that short-term vacation rental bring to the city, but they refuse to acknowledge it. Tourism dollars to the local neighborhoods and the city overall, well kept homes which translates into better kept neighborhoods, are just two.

  If money and more available housing is what the city is concerned with, then there are better ways to achieve it. Rather than forcing working class people to lose income that is vital to their wellbeing. Does the city believe that all these apartments are going to go back into the rental market? Many, like mine will not because I also use the space for friends and family that visit me. Also, is it believable that all the guests that use and need Airbnb apartments are suddenly going to be able to afford or want to go in hotels that don’t have the same home-like amenities? I think not. The city itself will lose significant income.

  As a responsible short-term rental host in Brooklyn, I’m fine with registering with the city, but the rules as is are a joke. If the city is interested in weeding out the real culprits then this should be done in several phases. Create guidelines that are safe, but easier to achieve and that don’t put host and guests at risk.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:00pm

• Roula Melidis

  please create a fair STR framework for Hosts in 2023. Taking action now will help shape the course of STR rules in NYC for years to come.
  this is devastating for us at this time of economic crisis

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:04pm

• Ann Marie Rubin-Collins

  I’m a resident of Brooklyn and I have been for a long time. In the last twenty years or so, Brooklyn has become a cool and trendy place to be. I love all the new restaurants and great things to do in Brooklyn, but not if it means working people can’t live here anymore. New York City already has places where travelers can stay to experience the city. We need to protect the homes that already exist. This city is full of hotels and tourist attractions. Theres no need to turn our residential neighborhoods into yet another tourist attraction. Please enforce Local Law 18 to protect the availability of affordable housing for your constituents, because it’s the right thing to do.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:11pm

• Jennifer Janet Moina

  A nosotros nos ayuda mucho rentar aunq sea por unos dias la habitation asi completamos el alquiler ya que muy alto

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:15pm

• Zuleide Alves

  Hi after the pandemic I get pregnant
  And my baby has 12 months now and I rent same rooms in my home to helping pay my rent and buy food and helps my husband to paying the bills we just trying to survive and pay the bills the Airbnb help me and my family to pay the bills and stay home with my baby day care is so expensive now and my baby just have 12 months I hope the mayor helps us to continue and I totally agree if have to pay any fee but please don’t take away the Airbnb for support U.S. family and helping work in home and race care my baby by myself thanks and I know the mayo is gonna so bad he best for us City

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:34pm

• Julia Chaplin

  I’m the owner of a two family home in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and I occasionally rent out my unit on Airbnb when I’m traveling. The income helps me cover all of the bills associated with my home (property taxes, NY Water board, Con Ed, mortgage, etc.) Without Airbnb I’m not sure I could afford to continue living in New York City. I also pay taxes on my Airbnb income which helps the city. There are not any hotels in my neighborhood and the people that rent my home patronize the local businesses. It really makes no sense to me that the city would want to wipe out middle class homeowners like myself. This is extremely unfair and I would definitely not vote for any elected representatives trading the well being of citizens trying to make ends meet for the special interests of big hotel corporations.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:39pm

• Joyce Malave

  Hi, my name is Joyce and I have been a host with Airbnb for at least five years now. The money I receive from hosting has helped me stay afloat financially here in NYC. I am not in agreement with guests,
  Though, being able to have access to anywhere in your home. The host’s bedroom or office should be private. I don’t think I would continue with Airbnb of guests are allowed access to the whole house the hosts happen to live in.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 7:39pm

• very damaging to the whole family

  We are family of 4 and we rent out our bedrooms something to help us to pay our bills. My husband lost his job and this inflation is just putting us in a very bad situation. We don’t make money off Airbnb.. it only helps us to pay our bills… by taking away .. you will make our life much harder and our kids are under 5 years old.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:01pm

• Marc M

  I rent out my 2nd bedroom to help pay my rent. I have used air bnb as a way to offset in times that I have not been able to find a reliable steady roommate for a period of time. And it has been a wonderful platform in helping me to do so and a way to meet new people. Many of my guests have been people who cannot afford the high costs of a hotel for a week and whom have come back to stay with me at different times. This has brought money to our local economy. And I’m sure many of my fellow hosts can attest to the same.

  Additionally, there are no hotels in or remotely around this area. I cannot possibly understand what this will do to the middle class who are using this platform for a variety of reasons, some to pay rent, some to pay a mortgage. And I cannot help but feel that despite this forum of comments and the open hearing on the 11th that none of this will be taken into account. At the end of the day, no matter how many Air BnB hosts pay taxes it appears the bottom line has been to side with hotels who will line their pockets with even more money. And with rising costs of inflation and city taxes it makes it near impossible to simply live in this city. I would attend the hearing but I honestly do not feel that our words will be taken into account in any capacity.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:14pm

• Lance Walters

  Airbnb has allowed me to be able to afford my mortgage through the pandemic. Please don’t create legislation that cripples homeowners abilities to be able to afford their homes.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:21pm

• Renee Ippolito

  The reason I started an Airbnb was because of a bad tenant who lived in my my home rent free for 2 1/2 years. After he finally got evicted, my home went into forclosure because I was behind in my mortgage due to my tenant not paying his rent. My father sold his home & downsized in order to give me money to bring my mortgage current. NYC laws on not for landlords. If I can not continue hosting with my Airbnb unit, I will be forced to sell my house & relocate to another state. I am born an raised in NYC & do not want to leave. Please do not stop hosts in NYC from renting out for short term stays.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:39pm

• Keturah Wahrmann-Harry

  Nyc families rely on income from renting rooms in their home. The proposed rule will make it harder.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:49pm

• Daisy K.

  I’m a frequent traveler to NYC for work and to visit my family in Ridgewood. There are very few hotels in the area and I rely a lot on Airbnb and short-term rentals in the area to make my trip affordable. I don’t really understand what benefit these these short-term rental restrictions are creating for the city besides pleasing the hotel lobbyists who have paid your administration handsomely – you are making a huge mistake that has severe consequences for the city’s finances.

  If 10,000 Airbnbs disappear overnight, it will extremely hard for visitors to find affordable accommodations and discouraging tourism, which NYC replies upon greatly. You are also placing an undue burden for individual property owners who are already facing an untenably high cost of living in a city that only cares about pleasing the hotel lobbyists who are already controlling the market share of accommodations in NYC.

  Shame on you. This is exactly why everyone is moving out of the city (myself included, years ago) and why fewer and fewer people want to even come visit at all. NYC used to be great and your administration is keen on ruining it.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:57pm

• Roberto Ramirez

  My english no so good, here my letter in spanish:

  Como residente y huésped frecuente de Airbnb y Booking.com en la ciudad de Nueva York, quiero expresar mi frustración y preocupación con las recientes regulaciones que restringen el uso de cerraduras en las puertas de las habitaciones de los alquileres a corto plazo.

  Entiendo que estas regulaciones se hayan implementado con la intención de aumentar la seguridad y proteger a los inquilinos, pero creo que esto es un enfoque equivocado. Al prohibir las cerraduras en las puertas de las habitaciones, se está privando a los huéspedes de una medida básica de seguridad y privacidad. Como huésped, quiero tener la opción de cerrar y bloquear la puerta de mi habitación durante mi estancia, y no sentirme vulnerable o inseguro.

  También me preocupa el impacto negativo que estas regulaciones pueden tener en la industria del turismo y en la economía de la ciudad. Muchas personas eligen alquileres a corto plazo como una opción más asequible y cómoda que los hoteles tradicionales, y al restringir estas opciones se está disuadiendo a los turistas de venir a la ciudad.

  Le pido que reconsidere estas regulaciones y permita que los huéspedes de Airbnb y Booking.com tengan la opción de utilizar cerraduras en las puertas de sus habitaciones. Creo que esto es esencial para garantizar la seguridad y privacidad de los huéspedes

  Con respesto,
  Roberto Ramirez

  Comment added January 9, 2023 8:59pm

• Claire D.

  The restriction on short-term rentals misses the mark completely if the goal is to ensure that there are more units of affordable housing in NYC. Instead of making life extremely difficult for individual property owners (who form 90% of Airbnb hosts vs. huge management companies that buy up apartments and blocks), the city should focus instead on actually building more affordable housing units instead of the approving the construction and rehab of new billion dollar condos they keep building more of every year.

  Such a draconian fascist attempt by a city that tries to eat more of its lower and middle income earners every single day.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:05pm

• Perry S.

  Dear MOSE, this restriction seems too sudden and misdirected.

  Please focus your efforts on the greedy developers and property managers that buy up entire apartment buildings and blocks in order to turn them entirely into Airbnbs instead of the average middle-class New Yorker who rents out their apartment once in a while by renting out their apartment once in a while to get enough money to LIVE in the city. The developers and the hotel lobbyists are the ones you should target, not individual property owners.

  I have two elderly parents who frequently visit me in the city from out of state and I often rent out Airbnbs for them as they need a place that they feel at home and comfortable in. I will not be able to see them that often if Airbnb options near are severely limited and prices are skyrocketing because of the lack of demand. Please do not tear apart families and drive away business because you want to be seen as “doing something” for the city instead of solving issues that desperately need solving. Thank you.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:16pm

• Charlie L.

  I am disabled and have mobility needs that prevent me from taking a physical full-time job. I don’t think I would be able to live in NYC if it weren’t for the supplemental income from STR for the past couple of years. Please reconsider giving in to the hotel lobbyists and enacting such draconian laws that will impose financial difficulties on everyone – individual property owner, families trying to visit their loved ones in NYC, students, travelers, the working class.

  We used to be a great city that embraced the sharing economy. Instead of fighting and resisting it, please learn how to embrace it so the city and its people can flourish again instead of suffer.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:36pm

• Barry Smith from Ridgewood

  There was a study in 2011 that showed that restricting STRs can have a significant, negative impact on local economic activity: https://hbr.org/2021/11/research-restricting-airbnb-rentals-reduces-development

  If you want to incentivize developers to come in and build more affordable housing, the STR restriction is only going to drive them away and lessen overall economic growth and development in the area. I strongly urge the city to reconsider the catastrophic negative impact this new law will have on the entire city.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:43pm

• Cordelia

  I am a law abiding citizen of this country. We the owners of small one and two family homes and we are in dire need of protection and help when we open our homes to rent regular citizens our homes. New york city is renound for favour of tenants…when we take a chance and rent these tenants, they know fully well that based on new york city laws that it will take landlords one to three years to evict… In the mean time .. three months later our banks file forclosure proceedings to now take our homes and the courts still insist we have to take care of them…heat..water..electricity. You ask for housing but how can we take such risk knowing that if and when a bad tenant decided not to pay we are going to lose our homes. Short term rental has provided a way to host people from all over the world, find them a safe and clean place to stay and because of such good experiences make their way back to this city we call home. Do we not have rights? I find this to be a terrible over reach for non commercial homes…short term rental is a means to find a way in this high cost of living place.. interest rates have doubled… my food bill has gone from 450 per month to 1000.00 a month.. my most recent gas bill was over 500 dollars and my thermostat is set at 72…
  I am asking… begging… leave our one and two families alone…we are just making a way not to be on the streets or having to move out of new york. The place i have called home for the last 18 years.

  Thank you

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:48pm

• AnneMarie Bott

  I am currently an Airbnb host in Prospect Heights and there are zero hotels within the neighborhood zone. The guests that book with me do so to visit friends and family in the neighborhood or are past residents coming back to enjoy their old neighborhood. I recommend all local businesses for them to get coffee, groceries at the locally owned markets, and independent restaurants in the area. As well as encourage visits to the museum, botanical gardens and grand army farmers market on saturdays. I have lived in New York for 2 years and travel often for my job as I work freelance and consulting, while, I am lucky to live in a great building that hasn’t raised the rents over these last 2 years like the rest of the city. The cost of daily items; food/groceries, house supplies, services and auto/health insurance continues to increase around us and exponentially in NYC. These additional life expenses I have been able to offset by my Airbnb income while in addition providing local business with more revenue from my guests and myself. If the short term rental market was to go away in the city, the entire tourism industry will be greatly impacted by this. The only businesses that will benefit from this are the hotels which already are charging astronomical rates for rooms that don’t provide any additional resources to guests such as a kitchen to cook in, laundry availability and even a working area for those to use. I do believe by enacting this new law that it will be a detriment to many people in the community, hospitality industry, tourism industry and local businesses that are not being considered here.

  Thank you for you time and consideration

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:50pm

• Doug Beube

  To the Mayor’s Office

  My name is Doug Beube, I’ve lived in Fort Greene since 1989, I’m a senior citizen and the owner of a legal two-family brownstone building. In the upstairs apartment, I have a long-term tenant and I share my apartment with guests visiting New York City. I’m owner-occupied, I pay my taxes, and I report my income from my full-time rental and Airbnb. I have legal egresses for guests, proper fire extinguishers, and smoke detectors in every room. I’ve been with Airbnb as a host for the past 12 years.

  I depend upon the necessary income from Airbnb to pay for building repairs and upgrades, and medical procedures, and to supplant my social security payments—which are very low. My nightly prices are inexpensive which allows guests to book a room on a short-term basis while visiting New York City. The demographic of my guests can’t afford the high or moderately-priced hotels in the five boroughs. ABB is not in competition with the popular hotels because my guests can’t afford to pay their daily rates of $100 and up. If ABB didn’t exist in NYC, these tourists wouldn’t visit, they’d go to other cities and NYC would lose income from me, the museums, Broadway Theater, restaurants, taxis, etc, that allow the City to grow and collect significant taxes. If you eliminate ABB you’d be losing millions of dollars of income and combined with NYC vendors, the amount would be in the billions of dollars—this would be very short-sighted of you and an economic misjudgment, to say the least, However, they can stay at my home, pay an inexpensive nightly rate and spend money on entertainment and restaurants, etc, for the few days they’re visiting. Please don’t make the convenience of booking a shared homestay impossible or illegal for me. I don’t know how I would financially survive without the ABB income.

  Do the right thing and allow legally owner occupied homeowners to rent out their homes. It’s a win-win for the City and ABB hosts.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 9:52pm

• Ruver Fuentes

  As a retirement teacher, I need more money for pay my Mortage month by month, my SSS retirement is for $ 638.00 a month this year 2023. I need pay $1.500.00 each month. I work -when I can on the street fair in Manhattan for have enough money, sometime is very difficult for me, because between November until April all event are closet for the winter time.
  Work with Airbnb is a big opportunity for me for have enough dollar for continue pay my home; I am 78 years old, Airbnb is my solution.
  I live alone, I have no person for help me.
  For all this reason, I pried to the Mayor considered the situation for the person like me before take a decision again hosted some people in a private home.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:01pm

• Ben McHugh

  We rely heavily on the income from our air bnb listing to pay our mortgage each month. The last three years have been extremely tough for us and this small amount we earn from this is our life-line to keeping our property and paying what we owe. We pay our taxes on this income and we do not take advantage of the system. If this is taken away it will be a huge burden on us at an already difficult time.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:11pm

• Seth Foss

  I have lived in my apartment for 11years now and began hosting a room in my 1+ flex apartment (1 bedroom w/ living room or 2 bedroom w/ no living room) about 10 years ago after next my best friend and roommate found out he had a brain tumor. He needed an emergency operation, but because of the cost of healthcare in the US, even now a citizen, he was forced to fly to his birth country of Hungary for the operation. He didn’t know when he would be returning incident want to incident want to have to be concerned about have to be concerned about Karina what to do with his belongings and move out and where to go when she got back so we started renting out his room. And the peeing he was not able to fly for over a year I’m finally returned we had a very full calendarincident. Want to have to be concerned about figuring out what to do with his belongings and move out and where to go once he got back so we stagger renting out his room. Ended up being he was not able to fly for over a year and finally returned it which time we had a very full calendar. This. . This allowed us to he’s person of the rent end. This has allowed us to pay his portion of the rent and give him a little money for expenses for the 16 months he was not able to work. Once he returned we shared a bed and continued to rent the room. This aloud him get back on his feet intentionally Secure job and was able to afford his own apartment your house later and which time my partner and moved in with me. We continue to rent room and during that time the extra source of income allowed my partner to obtain a real estate license and his citizenship, allowed me two leave my corporate job and pursue art eventually started my own company. You’re not sure seven years without relationship had ended allowed me to speel to stay at my home and I have to worry so much about I was going to pay for the rent myself. Independent happened and again this saved me from losing my home after Industry collapsed and I shattered my company. Which is the lead me to be able to go back to school and pursue something more fulfilling right now study Hunter psychology and Public Policy. In addition this is love you to be able to reinvest any extra income into creating rental of dreams. Who do I love my neighborhood and I love my apartment but without Airbnb in this neighborhood many people will not know it who have come here as there are no hotels in my area end this is the area that many of my friends like to come when they go out at night for dinner shopping whatever it is. I love the share with my guests history of this building another neighborhood frequently refer them to the tenement museum is my apartment is tenement. Now today molesting my apartment has over 646 reviews in a five star rating since 2013.
  My home is my sanctuary my home is my sanctuary but I also don’t mind sharing a piece of that in order to have a better quality of life overall and he proud of my homeMy home is my sanctuary, but I also don’t mind sharing a piece of that in order to have a better quality of life overall. I am proud of my home, and I’ve done every improvement myself the only thing I haven’t done is the service Airbnb provides to me and to my guests. This tool is vital. This platform expands people’s experiences and their quality of life. I can not imagine where I would be today without it, but what I do know is I wouldn’t have become the man I am proud to have become. It’s not about the money; it’s about the mobility, the possibility to grow and pivot in order to achieve your dreams. In my case, to us it to pay it forward to share my home , my experiences, learn from others around the world and have a future career of public service all thanks to Airbnb.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:25pm

• 'Cil Shaw-Brewer

  Having the ability to rent out part of my home has helped me maintain it. I urge you not to implement this bill as it would bring hardship and devastation to me and families like mine.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:27pm

• Blessed

  Dear sir or Madam,

  I pray that you will legally allow homeowners that has a 2-family home the opportunity to rent one of their apartments to a guest who wants to reside in the apartment for less than 30 days. This would be excellent for the following reasons:

  A) It will allow homeowners who are single parents caring for a child with special needs the opportunity and flexibility to stay home to provide care for their child, attend excessive medical appointments while earning an income to provide and take care of the child. Stay independent. No tax dollars spent providing city, state or government assistance because earned income through air bnb. The money can be used to help those in need. .

  2) My Air bnb provide affordable safe temporary housing for those visiting NYC who otherwise may not be able to afford to visit. When they visit nyc they provide financial support to NYC. This includes NYC theaters, concerts, shopping districts and local establishments in my local community that otherwise would not have money because most tourist would not know of these fun, exciting, cultural places to visit but they learn so much about nyc because they are within walking distance in my community.

  3) I read that some incorrectly believe that if homeowners did not rent to air bnb the apartment will be rented to those with low income or homeless. But That’s not necessarily true. Unfortunately due to the cost of purchasing and maintaining a home most homeowners including myself can not rent out the apartment for a few dollars. And the housing vouchers/housing subsidies that are provided to homeowners for low income recipients or homeless population are extremely low. So it doesn’t seem likely that their source of income will meet the homeowner rental guidelines for market value rent. Based on my experience and observation their is no correlation. Unless, the housing voucher will increase their value to meet market value only then will the argument of air bnb in relation to homelessness or affordable housing be made. But until then Homeowners should be allowed to rent their apartment short term if they choose to. Because it is not hurting anyone nor the economy.

  4) I agree that there should be safety regulations made for short term rentals such as:

  A) Must have 1 window and 2 ways to escape in case of an emergency.
  Fire safety plan/directions/instructions.

  B) working smoke and carbon monoxide detector.

  C) locks on building door

  Thank you for reading this and for honoring my request.

  Have a great day.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:32pm

• Azeez Salami

  This proposed regulation would have significant negative impact on me. I put my apt on airbnb while traveling for work and this helps to pay for rent. I would not be able to use the service to supplement my income if this new law passes. I hope New Yorkers like myself are considered in legislations like this. I

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:38pm

• Vicki Brand

  We have hosted many visitors to NY who could not have otherwise afforded a conventional hotel room. I believe that restricting access to Airbnb will hurt tourism, grandparents visiting family, people exploring the possibility of moving to NY, and will unfairly benefit the overpriced hotel industry. And there are no hotels in our neighborhood and many people who really want to stay in our part of Brooklyn. Many visitors enjoy staying in a comfortable apartment with hosts who can assist them in finding the best coffee, pizza, shopping, transit directions, etc. We are ambassadors for our wonderful city and would regret having unfair restrictions imposed on us.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:45pm

• Douglas Bradford Smith

  Being an Airbnb host has given me extra income and has made it much easier to pay my bills, my rent, have a better lifestyle and remain in the city. My work was heavily affected by the Covid pandemic and to date is still not at the level it was pre-pandemic. Airbnb has helped fill in the gap created by less income. In one month I will be 67. I am not working quite as many hours as I once did. I am not planning to collect Social Security benefits until I reach the age of 70. Again income from Airbnb is helping to maintain my current expenses without Social Security benefits. I have always complied with the current regulation of being in the apartment when I have a guest. I only rent to one guest at a time and the majority of my guests stay only 2-3 nights. What is the difference if I have short term guests in my apartment or a long term roommate for extra income. I prefer having short term only. That way I can only have a guest when I want one and still have the extra income. Everyone in this city has to work very hard and/or find creative ways to exist here. It is becoming increasingly more expensive here and I often wonder how much longer I will be able to sustain living here. Airbnb has been and I hope will continue to be a way of staying in this city which I love and in my apartment which I also love in a great neighborhood.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:54pm

• Patrice

  I make rooms in my home available on Airbnb to help support my family and provide them with safe housing options we’d otherwise be unable to afford.

  I’m also a victim of domestic violence and have had to put in a lot of effort to make sure my location isn’t publicly available.

  I list my home under an assumed name and only provide my address to confirmed and verified guests in order to protect our privacy. I’m afraid I’ll have to stop renting my rooms and lose this key income if these rules get rolled out as proposed due to privacy and safety concerns.

  If I’m reading the proposed rules correctly, my address as well as the names of my children who live with me will now be publicly available and searchable on the internet. This’ll also include a diagram of my home. This means my ex could look for my address and use it to find me, which I’ve made a lot of effort to avoid.

  I fear for my safety and privacy. I shouldn’t have to choose between my safety and access to affordable housing. I shouldn’t have to give up a significant source of my family’s income and my privacy.

  I urge y’all to reconsider your proposed rules and provide more privacy for those renting out their primary residences.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 10:55pm

• Philip E

  Hello,
  My name is Philip, I’ve been living in New York City for twelve years and I have been using Airbnb to sublet the second bedroom of my two bedroom apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for five years.

  New York, the greatest city in the world, has sold out to billionaires and become unaffordable. The idea of buying an apartment without a job in the finance sector is laughable, and since the pandemic matters have only gotten worse. Williamsburg in particular has seen prices skyrocket, yet at the same time the market is being flooded with new available condos. On my single block alone there are five construction sites. Not surprisingly these new buildings are all luxury condominiums, no affordable options in sight.

  If the mayor wants to make more affordable housing available he should make developers build more, rather than take away the one opportunity many middle class New Yorkers have at paying their rent and saving some money. This rule change is just another example in our countries long history of appeasing rich people at the cost of everyone else.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 11:18pm

• German Meneses

  We the people work hard to keep our family and our house in order to help the local community businesses.
  We open our own homes to people as an appreciation of the neighborhood as well as supporting our families through the income we receive from the Airbnb service, that helps us pay for mortgage, groceries, and additional living costs.

  Comment added January 9, 2023 11:49pm

• Jose diaz

  Please do not take away the possibility for us to keep our Airbnb, if I lose my Airbnb I will not be able to pay the rent and other utilities, I am a Constrution worker who got hurt at job and my only income is my workers comp check every two weeks.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 12:13am

• Shelley Matheson

  I’m a host that rents out a bedroom in my apartment and most of these changes don’t affect me but of real concern is stating that we can’t have locks on doors, this poses a real safety and privacy issue for guests and hosts in these shared spaces. My guests already have access to my entire apartment but why would they need access to my room at night while I’m sleeping or why does anyone need access to a space while people are showering or getting dressed, this change does not protect the guest or the host.

  These laws discriminate and discourage women from being able to host as well as be a guest under these new laws as it poses a risk to our safety and privacy, and restricting locks on bedroom or bathroom doors does not benefit anyone except the hotel industry who wants to shut down a competitive market and maintain a monopoly on tourism and charging exorbitant rates.

  As a host I offer a cheaper alternative for people to be able to visit this great city on a budget, my apartment is in Brooklyn where there are no hotels nearby and guests are seeing more of what this city is like outside of the tourist hotspots as well as being able to stay near family or venues they would not have access to otherwise, I’m also sending guests to local stores and restaurants that supports mom and pop owners and local communities.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 12:51am

• Denise Smith Allen

  I submitted a statement and spoke at the previous hearing. Again, I am reaching out to the rational-thinking representatives of New York. The cost of living is through the roof. My brothers and I began short-term renting to offer travelers coming into LaGuardia Airport an opportunity to experience a stable residential area along with supporting local merchants and restaurants in the area at a reasonable rate. Assisting us with paying our taxes on the house was a benefit that made it a win-win. We have been consistently designated Superhosts based on our consistency in providing a quality experience for travelers from around the globe. We understand that there have been some bad actors in this industry who should be held accountable. However, the vast majority of us do not fit into that category and not be penalized with overreaching rules.
  Thank you!

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:31am

• Susanne Morianz

  As a happy and proud (Super) host in BedStuy I would like to second Gordon L. (neighbor;-) and express my dismay at the proposed rules for hosting. In my particular case, the rent-stabilized apartment exclusion. As an older person, I am lucky to reside in a wonderful but older, rent-stabilized apartment, with just enough room to spare for a guest, but not a room mate. The hosting works; I shop, I recommend, I advise… in direct contribution to the neighborhood. Having guests has not just helped me financially but mentally. I am a better person for that. And one who still can manage their home. I do hope the rules for rent-stabilized hosting can be reconsidered.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:26am

• Andrew Rossi

  I regularly visit New York to see family and for shopping. When booking a pace to stay, If my aunts spare room in Manhattan isn’t free, I always book an airbnb. I think it is much more personal and nice than booking a hotel. I have also had some really bad experiences booking hotels in the city that upon arrival I have found out have also been used as well as serving the public for housing homeless people. This legislation would completely play into the hands of large companies and deprive individuals of a source of small additional income which may be vital to them in this current economic climate.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:47am

• Cristine A

  I am against any strict regulation about what an homeowner/apartment owner can do with their OWN PRIVATE SPACE when it comes to offering it as a short term rental.
  I am an annual visitor to New York and I prefer Air bnb because I like to cook my own food due to dietary restrictions. I stay 5-10 days max in New York when i come, and I do not prefer hotel service. I lived in New York my whole young life and feel welcomed in an airbnb “ home” when i visit. For many of my friends who own their homes who travel a lot, airbnb is a necessary option for when they travel for someone to stay in their home, keeping it safe and occupied.

  SAY NO TO THESE REGULATIONS PLEASE!

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:49am

• JB

  I’ve been a working musician in NYC for over 40 years. I’ve been in my co-op apartment for 30 years now and have always managed mortgage and maintenance on time. The pandemic, however, has killed my career and it’s becoming clear it’s not going to be rebounding anytime soon. Hosting a visitor or couple from out of town has been a godsend and kept me able to keep up with bills. If this goes away I will be forced to sell quite soon. And go … somewhere. Where? This apartment is my home for over 30 years. I’m scared on the Upper West Side.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:35am

• Rocio rosales

  To whom it my concern,

  Airbnb has helped me pay my home expenses and living in NYC. It’s very difficult to make a living in NYC and if the short term rentals gets banned. It will tarnish my living conditions. Please be mindful of our concerns and the harm this will cause to NYC residents.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:57am

• Large corporate landlords are the real problem

  Please do not prevent individual hosts in small owner-occupied building from utilizing STRs. The city should instead target large corporate landlords with multiple listings.

  Here are pertinent results from an economic study done by Boston University Professor Dr. Michael Salinger in conjunction with Charles River Associates. These results show that prohibiting short term rentals in NYC will have unintended negative consequences on the tourism economy and disproportionate impact on small homeowners, while not solving for the primary goal of improving housing affordability.

  * Targeting Short-term Rentals Does Not Create Affordable Housing: Because over 80% of the Airbnb listings in NYC could generate more earnings if rented on a long-term basis, hosts presumably have other reasons for not renting out their homes on a long-term basis. Discouraging hosts from offering their units on a short-term basis is unlikely to make them add their units to the supply of permanent housing.

  * More than 50% of STRs Are Outside Manhattan: An outright majority of hotels are located in Manhattan while less than half of the total Airbnb listings are situated in Manhattan. A significant share of Airbnb listings are in the boroughs of Brooklyn (37%) and Queens (13%).

  * Airbnb Guests Help Local Economies: The presence of short-term rentals in boroughs outside of Manhattan has a positive spillover benefit on both tourism-related businesses and their employees, particularly in Queens where 14% of all labor income generated in 2019 was attributable to tourism.

  * Airbnb Guests Have a Significant Impact on the Broader Tourism Economy: Around 72% of the $48 billion spent on tourism in the city in 2019 was related to non-lodging-related activities. Reducing the number of visitors does great damage to the tourism economy.

  * Targeting Short-term Rentals Will Reduce Accommodation Capacity in NYC: Short-term rentals provide “surge capacity” to meet periods of peak demand, such as events like the NYC Marathon and major holidays. Not only are Airbnb occupancy rates high when hotel occupancy rates are high, they are disproportionately higher in these periods of peak demand.

  The proposed restrictions against STRs would harm New York City’s economy and unnecessarily target individual hosts that do not contribute to the housing availability or affordability problems. Restricting individual hosts from renting out owner-occupied properties will cause challenges to homeownership. Corporate landlords with multiple listings should be the primary target of restrictions.

  Comment attachment
  2022.12.03-Expert-report-of-Professor-Michael-Salinger-for-Airbnb-1.pdf

  Comment added January 10, 2023 7:15am

• Daniel Emmanuel

  Dear Executive Director Christian Klossner,

  The purpose of this message is to inform the Office Of Mayor’s Reinforcement how important it is to allow the short terms rentals to continue without interruptions in New York City. During the Pandemic from 2019 to date, the Airbnb hosts play a major and an effective role in the recovery of New York City. We’ve been providing our homes to thousands of traveling nurses, occupational therapists, surgeons, doctors, police officers, and the overall population at a time where most hotels or motels closed their doors. We opened our arms to the essential workers to help New Yorkers with the recovery of COVID 19. There was a shortage of nurses and doctors to care for the patients and we welcomed traveling nurses and doctors made it feel like home in NYC. We opened up our doors to those professionals and save many lives. We opened up our homes to care for those who needed to quarantine to avoid spreading the virus to others. Throughout the pandemic, we stand strong to ensure that the City of New York gets back to its feet. In the last three years, New York City had become a ghost town. The Airbnb hosts opened up our doors to guests to explore what New York City has to offer. As a result of that, the city generated billions of dollars in revenues and the it continues to witness a flow of tourists they have never seen before in the history of tourism in New York cause one can notice that there’s a crowd in Times Square that makes it impossible to walk anywhere around there. Airbnb is a platform that transforms the world of tourism and it allows struggling landlords who have suffered to make ends meet to sustain the rising costs of interest rates, taxes, insurance, mortgages and other drastic utility bills that come with it. It allows landlords to pay their mortgages and other obligations that could otherwise make us lose our homes. The Airbnb hosts have played a major role in the success of helping New Yorkers to recover from that ordeal we’re going through and I’m certain that the The Mayor Office Of Reinforcement recognizes Airbnb as a drastic force that drives the economy to a level that no one has never expected after all we’ve been through. Changing the way in which Airbnb operates in the city is a complete disaster and drawback that will affect all parties involved such as, the landlords, the guests, and the city of New York itself. The Airbnb platform has been affected dramatically as a result of the new regulations posted online and no one is interested to book cause of the new regulations. they don’t want to be left out in the cold when they arrive to the city.
  Mr. Klossner, I’m a retired public school teacher who was involved in teaching culturally diverse children for 25 years. As an Airbnb host, I’m gratified to be able to continue meeting people from all walks of life. It’s not about the money only, it’s about meeting great professionals, having to develop a friendships, continue helping individuals to visit the city of their dreams, sharing knowledge, experiences and stay in touch after the vacation is over. There’s nothing more gratifying to me than being a host. Taking that enjoyment away from from me is taking away something that I live for. As a true New Yorker, the city that love, my hope is to allow Airbnb to continue its journey which will continue to be beneficial to all parties that are involved cause New York City’s tourism is thriving at a level that no one has expected after everyone has left the city during the pandemic. Airbnb and Airbnb hosts are the major contributors to that effort. The Mayor’s Office perhaps need to look at the progress Airbnb hosts have made and become the driven force of the economy and take measures to protect it, not to destroy it. Your decision to assign the Office Of Reinforcements to oppress the operation of the business needs to be revised and take certain measures to reconsider. Your consideration to this matter would be greatly appreciated.

  Thank you;

  Sincerely

  Daniel Emmanuel

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:48am

• Mr.Hernandez

  After being laid off a few years I decided to continue my education and was receiving public assistance, but due to red tape, I was ineligible to continue receiving benefits for en extended amount of time. The platform of Airbnb was the only was I was able to continue to pay my rent in full on time month by month and continue my education. To add more government over site and more red tape to a platform that has helped so many ppl in the way it has assisted myself will only prevent people of NYC to have more options on how they can pay their already super high rents.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:55am

• CS

  We are working class trying to make extra money to be able to survive in this crazy expensive City but that we all love! After the pandemic things are already very difficult financially for most of us, and Airbnb is helping a lot of people surviving from it, and for millions of tourists we are giving a great opportunity for them to visit the City in a more affordable, and we also contribute to the gains of taces for the City, and are helping many local businesses to make more money where that are no hotels around, we buy products to clean, we hire cleaning ladies, it is endless the beneficial list that airbnb has helped so many people in different ways! NYC is mostly moved by tourism! Please don’t make amy harder or we will be more people moving out of this City!!

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:56am

• Harvey xie

  Do not pass the law

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:28am

• Scott Rankin

  I occasionally rent my primary residence (that I own) on a short term basis using Airbnb. I only rent it out when I am traveling with my family, and it allows other families from around the world to use my apartment when it would otherwise be sitting vacant. These traveling families frequent local restaurants and shops that I recommend and contribute to the local economy.
  Renting out my primary residence on a short term basis 2-3 times a year does not affect the local housing stock as I would not otherwise be renting this apartment long term. The families traveling to my apartment are looking for a furnished apartment, not a hotel. They are also exploring a part of New York that they would not otherwise usually see, as it is not a tourist destination, and there are no hotels nearby.
  The city is doing itself a massive disservice by making this kind of rental illegal. I understand wanting to eliminate big-time operators who are using entire apartment buildings as short term rentals, but I believe owners should be allowed to rent out their apartments on a limited basis as this does not impact the housing shortage and has a massive benefit for the local economy.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:33am

• Elisa

  This is very unfair.
  This provision is unfair to all families who rely on this income to survive in an expensive city like New York. The law that regulates short-term rentals is already there, no need for more restrictions . This provision does not help to lower rents for families, it has no correlation, no sense. This is a measure that helps the hotel lobby and deeply harms middle-class families. You will find no citizen agreeing to this new requirement. Please don’t approve this, it is wrong and unfair towards honest and working people who love living in new york and have decided to put down roots in this city.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:51am

• Derek

  This law will have significant negative impact on individual homeowners (not landlords running apartment buildings full of airbnbs) who benefit use/depend on this rental income to pay bills and local businesses who benefit from people coming into stay in their neighborhoods. Properties like ours provide the opportunity for people coming to NY to visit family, friends or other reasons the ability to stay in areas where it meets their needs and are under-served by hotels, all while bringing additional business opportunities to local bars, restaurants, markets, etc… Changing this will have a ripple effect that will hurt what makes this city great- it’s local residents and local business- while only benefiting large corporate hotel chains.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:55am

• Joseph Bradley

  I am leaving this comment in hopes that they do not fall on dead ears. I am a short term host with Airbnb and I see this as an opportunity to provide visitors to NYC with a nice place to stay at a reasonable price. This is obviously needed otherwise thousands of people would not use it. It also allows to make a few dollars to help offset the high cost of owning property in NYC.
  In making any changes, we are asking NYC to come up with a fair short term rental framework that will assist the hosts and guests.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:56am

• Reuben Medalie

  I have 2 short term rentals in the Crown Heights neighborhood. There are no hotels in the neighborhood. We have guests coming for family weddings from all over the world who need a place to stay. Tomorrow I am hosting a gentlemen from North Carolina who’s aunt has passed away and is coming for the funeral together with his 72 year old mother and 82 year old relative. Seriously? I own a 2 family home. I understand the need to crack down on rent stabilized apartments being rented out on Airbnb with tenants not home. But this is overboard. Local shops restaurants cleaners laundry services and the city of New York benefit from having so many options for tourists and families to be able to finally afford to come to New York City. Let owners of 2-family homes rent out their apartments on Airbnb. If you stand for liberty then it’s the right thing to do. If you want to increase housing affordability and bring down rents, abolish rent stabilization laws. It removed HALF the units from the market, wish raises demand and increases prices.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:15am

• Gladys Ramirez

  I need to continue to rent instead of taking the Airbnb. New York has the highest taxe in NYC

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:28am

• Julia

  AirBnBs are the last reasonable affordable option for people visiting for work or leisure, moving between homes, or looking for a different experience as a staycation. Having attended college in New York, worked all over the city from the Natural History Museum or as a bartender in my youth on the lower east side, I can attest that closing airbnbs would be a death for one of the last strongholds of the spirit of creativity and adventure that affordable housing access serves. Seeing New York policies change in favor of capitalism and greed in an impossible housing market not only harms the local communities of people who have opted for a small amount of passive income (something landlords are criminally extorting without regulation already-maybe you should focus on that issue and not the solution to stay in home that New Yorkers are seeking) but will keep tourism affordable only for those who will pay the honestly poor quality hotels that are overpriced. New York is a city of communities and creativity, shuttering airbnbs is an act of amputation for the many hardworking people of the city and greed and reinforcement for the wealthy and heartless. This screams trumpian tax avoidant rhetoric, not the rhetoric of a historically resilient and culturally rich community.
  While this harms the residents of the city, it also is a direct financial blow to all the small business communities that have grown through affordable and prosperous periods. Guests of airbnbs support tons of small businesses which allows financial prosperity to increase in unique neighborhoods. Seeing business after business close from the pandemic was heartbreaking, and imagining the destruction of small businesses once more, but instead by the deliberate hand of the government is disgusting and devastating. Keep airbnbs available. Keep New York accessible.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:30am

• Melissa Bennett

  I wish I could say that this city has become a more inclusive and accessible place for people to live, but that wouldn’t be true with the cost of living constantly going one direction these days: up. Stricter laws and rules for airbnb hosts would do its part to help stop them from bleeding us dry and make New York City affordable once again. On top of that, we won’t tolerate the look or feel of our residential neighborhoods turning into the next tourist hotbed. So passing fair legislation will be a big first step in the right direction.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:44am

• Reka

  What the city says it cares about and the actions the city and its administration is taking completely contradict one another. Airbnb is a lifeline for myself and clearly thousands of people who are finding it difficult to keep up with NYC’s rising costs. In the 15 years I’ve lived in my apartment the rent has more than doubled. Landlords are given no restrictions on how much they can charge or how many people they squeeze into a tiny living space, but the city chooses to dedicate an entire department to police those trying to keep up with those costs to stay in their homes by renting out a spare room on Airbnb. How does that help? Artists like myself make the city a destination, but there are no protections for us. Where else in America has the cost of living risen so dramatically? If Mayor Adams wants to create affordable housing in the city and make it a safe place to visit, let community thrive. Allow responsible hosts to do as they wish with their space. These arbitrary limits on the number of people allowed into an Airbnb or their registration status only allows for the city to police the community. It doesn’t do anything about the real offenders, those individuals who rent entire buildings and apartments. How hard can it be to find THEM?

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:45am

• Ming Chen

  This city is expensive enough to live in. The last thing we want are prices going up even more. The easier landlords can take advantage of using Airbnb, the more this city will change. Do we want the look of every neighborhood in this city to be like a tourist trap? When will enough be enough? We need fair laws and tougher rules on housing, because without them there will soon be nothing residential about my neighborhood.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:46am

• Jose Zhanah

  As a tax payer and property owner in the city of New York it should be my right and private business who I can and can’t host on my property as long as I am paying my taxes and vetting my guests

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:48am

• Jose Zhanay

  In these times of recession tourism is what brings revenue to this great city and making tourists experience more economical and comfortable while bringing more business to the outer boroughs of the city is a bit economical help for all of us

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:53am

• Pix11 Viewer

  PIX11 ran this story yesterday about Carolina Medina, a jackson heights resident who relies heavily on short term rentals for her income.

  You can watch her interview here: https://pix11.com/video/new-laws-will-remove-thousands-of-nyc-airbnb-listings/8291979/

  She rents the 2nd unit in her two family home and has tried to comply with your requirement for 30 day rentals. However, she notes demand for 30 day rentals in NYC is non-existent. Visitors come for days or weeks, not months.

  Our elected officials promised us you would not come after 1 and 2 family homes. Why the change in approach? Why do you want us to lose our homes?

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:59am

• Chris Sullivan

  NYC has become only a place for the poor and ultra wealthy to live. Its very important that the general public globally and real estate owners are able to leverage and lease out their homes to AirbnB clients and families.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:04am

• Conrado Medina

  The rule that the City is trying to implement is crazy insane. As others already commented we are small group that are trying to survive and get some help to pay our bills. In my personal case, I spent around $40.000 to arrange our place cozy enough to satisfied our guests and get the reviews that we have now.
  On the other hand, the city now is full criminals that do drugs and break the law without anything being done to stop them. I wish they really reflect about it and change their mainds for the well-being of the minority group.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:32am

• Maria

  So disappointing, a progressive and democratic government acting against people and middle class citizens. So many families rely on Airbnb to have a decent life in NYC. They pay mortgages, they provide for their families, they create economy in their neighborhoods. There is nothing wrong with this.
  Probably the legislator has no idea how expensive this city is and the fact that they want to hit individual citizens who are trying to have a decent income to live in dignity is shocking.
  Get real, Airbnb is not the cause of the lack of affordable housing, there are powerful lobbies to blame for that not sigle families renting their houses to other families in oder to provide a better life for their loved ones. Please don’t do this and rethink why you are in politics, who are you working for, remember your ideals and your belief.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:34am

• Chris

  Thank you Mr. Klossner and the OSE for continuing your attack on Airbnb and NYC. New York is one of Airbnb’s top destinations. If your law rolls out it will have a marked impact on their revenue and drive their stock price down. I own a large short position against Airbnb and stand to make a small fortune if you succeed in your efforts. I will then be able to buy my own home in NYC. So in effect while your law will have no impact on the availability of housing stock, it will allow me to buy a second home and I thank you for that.

  Are there any other businesses you plan to go after? Please let me know so I can take similar short positions against them.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:39am

• Bridget

  I feel that people should be able to list their own properties on Airbnb and the like. I’m all for reasonable regulations for safety reasons. But there are benefits to local businesses and communities to have visitors staying at these properties. Don’t make it unreasonably difficult for people to use their property the way they’d like, within reason.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:48am

• Grant

  I am retired and rely on my life long investment in our NYC brownstone for a living. We have owned the building for roughly 10 years and over the course of that time we have maintained a legal rental, abided by all rules and regulations, have canvassed inspectors to ensure that we are meeting all safety measures required by the city including sprinkler systems and monthly inspections. Over the course of that rental period we have paid over $200,000 in occupancy tax to the city of NY. Because of a strong and well funded hotel lobby the city is shutting down AirBNB, and similar shorter term rentals. The short stay rental industry is a collection of small business owners working hard and using their rightfully owned assets in a matter that they see fit. The city should be taking every measure to support these entrepreneurs.

  Florida is collecting occupancy tax at point of sale. Maybe an analysis of that income stream would put our cottage industry in better stead with the Mayor’s office.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 11:57am

• Silvia Taranto Elsayed

  Dear proponents of Law 18 on STRs,
  I understand the city needs to establish what’s legal or illegal in NYC. And most definitely crime of any nature should be avoided for guests and hosts mutually. I understand you’re committed to fight crime and impose the rule of law. However, implementing the new rule for STRs punishing Airbnb hosts for sharing their home responsibly is going to hurt many of us that depend on this supplemental income because the high costs in maintaining a home demands a great deal of sacrifices from homeowners. A homeowner should feel free within boundaries to share their space in the most convenient way that protects one’s investment. Let me tell you that being a landlord isn’t an easy task. STRs provide for me a way to achieve my financial goals and benefits my neighborhood because guests from all over the world come to our communities to spend their money on groceries, restaurants, museums, and other attractions. The world of traveling is in constant charge. People choose a home to stay because they can’t eat meals that are prepared at a restaurant, therefore they need the basic tools and equipment along with nearby supermarkets to cook their daily food. People book their reservations with specific hosts because of the language or how inclusive an accommodation is to meet their needs. And hosts in a small operation for two guests can provide that special treatment. Bad actors in this industry cannot blur the outstanding service some of us provide. Please reconsider this rule and consciously think the social outcry this rule may create.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 12:22pm

• Camorine Farquharson

  I’m a single mother who has been having challenges paying my monthly mortgage. By being a host for Airbnb guest has helped me as a supplement income that has prevented me from going into foreclosure and losing my home. Restricting Airbnb would pose a severe hardship for me and my son who is presently in college and is dependent on my financial support which I obtain from hosting. My present income is not sufficient to pay my monthly expenses, therefore I’m dependent on Airbnb income to help meet my monthly needs. Living in NY is very expensive and additional income from Airbnb helps us to survive. I’m requesting fair framework to host for 2023. Your consideration is greatly appreciated.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:00pm

• Yong Wu

  I’ve lived in NYC for 40 years and through each decade that passes, the cost of living here has only gone up. It’s so expensive, any New Yorker can tell you this is the worst part about living here. If Airbnb is allowed to continue as they were, it would mean more of the same for those of us who aren’t super rich. My family and I have put down roots here, and I ask for your help to protect us so we can stay. Affordable housing is a right and there’s already a shortage. Don’t let vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods make this worse.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:00pm

• Alicia Loving

  I have been an Airbnb host for about a decade. I live in upper Harlem and I host my guests in my spare bedroom. I love that I can provide low budget travelers a place to stay while at the same time making needed income on my end. My guests often comment how without the option of shared home stays on Airbnb, they wouldn’t have been able to come to NYC.
  They shop, eat and explore in a neighborhood that they otherwise may not have had a reason to visit. Our local neighborhoods are the REAL New York.
  While I don’t agree with “bad actors” taking affordable hosing off the market to run an illegal short term rental hotels, I think that sharing my spare room, or renting a home or apartment that you own while you’re out of town should not be an issue. Mayor Adams is in the pocket of the Hotel Unions. On one hand he sets up an office of special enforcement against short term rentals in NYC, while at the same time siding with the hotel unions who are blocking empty hotels from being turned into affordable housing for New Yorkers! Shame on him and shame on the proposed Local Law 18. You don’t have New Yorkers best interest in mind with this proposed law. I say NO!

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:24pm

• Shan Rong Zheng

  Thank you to the city for having this hearing on Local Law 18. With new regulations, New York will be telling its residents that the state cares about its people, and will fight to make sure that living standards are protected, housing costs are more affordable, and our streets are safer. Without them, families will leave and New York City will be less welcoming as a place to live than it’s ever been before. I live in Astoria, and I want to make sure that I’m able to stay there for a long time. Let’s not make a mistake while we have the chance to do the right thing for New Yorkers.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:42pm

• Tim Kocak

  The proposed changes to Title 43 will have the effect of rendering the vast majority Airbnb short-term rentals illegal, eliminating income on which New York City Airbnb hosts depend as well as diminishing the options of visitors to our city. Families with children coming to NYC will be forced into a hotel suite or multiple rooms and may be discouraged from visiting on cost alone, which will in turn hit businesses and vendors here, from Broadway theaters to restaurants and shops. It is also worth mentioning that visiting a new city can be far more comfortable and pleasant, living as locals do.

  There is no safety or competence concern that these rule changes address, as the Department of Buildings regulations on habitable space already amply cover these issues. Also Airbnb hosts vouch for amenities and the entire platform operates on reliable feedback from both hosts and guests. If, as it has been suggested, the only interest who might benefit from a restriction on short-term rentals are suffering hotels and hotel staff organizations, I would point out that the city has been in a hotel building boom lately and may have built up surplus capacity. Within a two-block radius of my home in the Hudson Square neighborhood in Manhattan, no fewer than three hotels, ranging from 120 to 391 rooms, have opened in the last decade. Are Airbnb hosts to be punished for reckless over-development of new hotels and an unsupported increase in the number of available rooms?

  Likewise, the argument has been made that Airbnb serves to reduce the number of affordable apartments. The housing shortage is a real problem in our city as well as in the country at large. However, recent development of luxury apartment buildings in my direct vicinity paint a more complicated story. In the same two-block radius around me, four new high-rise luxury apartment buildings have gone up in the past ten years. Of course, I have no way of ascertaining the occupancy rate of these buildings, but I can report that there are very few lights in windows. While affordable apartments are in short supply, there appears to be a glut of vacant luxury apartments.

  I beg the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement keep the options for visitors to NYC, by allowing Airbnb to continue as a valuable, and vital element of what is called the “hospitality industry” in our city. The well-funded hotel and hotel workers lobby will grouse, no doubt, but things change in New York City. Things have always changed here. Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms have done a lot of good for our city most notably: income for tax-paying New Yorkers of modest means and expanded accessibility for visitors. Please allow us to continue to help our city thrive!

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:50pm

• Cheryl Glenn

  Hi everyone. I’ve been living in Queens Village for 24 years now, and once this neighborhood used to be as close as you could get to a suburb while still being close to the city. I want your help to keep it that way. Landlords should not be allowed to freely jack up prices for Airb&b travelers. The rising costs make it unaffordable for the people like me who have lived there a long time. Fair regulations is all we ask for to keep our neighborhoods safe and residential. Thank you for listening.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 1:55pm

• Piyash Das

  There has to be a line drawn one way or another. If you need to rent out a spare room while you’re away or to make a little extra income, that’s okay. My issue is with people who are running huge operations, and renting out dozens of rooms at once. If you are selling a room to travelers with a high turnover, you’re taking advantage of everyone who actually lives there. Our neighborhoods are really hurt by these actions and calling 311 to report a complaint is not a good enough solution. We need prevention instead of a cure. The city needs to create boundaries to protect families who call this city home.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:11pm

• Milton Galloway

  I have been an Airbnb host since 2018. I am grateful for the income that I have been able to earn to supplement my monthly income so that I can underwrite the living expenses for me and my family. I think it is deceptive for any politician to state or imply that Airbnb hosts are generally conducting illegal businesses. Whilst that may be so for a few, have any of those against Airbnb done the research or investigated those who are supposedly violating housing rules? I have included Airbnb income in all my tax returns and am already paying taxes for my home. Besides, New York City housing officials have demonstrated that they are more interested in the rights of tenants than the landlord. I accrued thousands of dollars in legal fees as well as a loss of rental income from my last tenant who added insult to injury by damaging my property which resulted in my investing more money to restore it to its original condition. NYC utility company did not make any concession for the increased heating bill I incurred because the tenant spitefully turned up the heat and broke the front window of the home during the dead of winter. If law-abiding Airbnb hosts such as myself should decide to no longer host visitors, this would NOT resolve the so-called housing crisis, as the annual rental that anyone would pay would far exceed what I earn from hosting Airbnb guests. In case you are unaware, we do not have a guest in our home every day of the year. In addition, New York City and the small business owners in my community would lose income derived from the guests who we host from all over the world. These guests choose our homes instead of the average hotel room (with limited capacity per room, no cooking facility or amenities to reduce cost). The average cost of a decent hotel in NYC is $300 per night. The entire NYC tourism industry would be seriously impacted if Airbnb hosts should discontinue their service, something that we would not want to do. There is no law abiding citizen who frowns upon legislation that is fair and reasonable. However, I do not believe that this proposal is fair or reasonable. This is my home that I choose to make available to guests, some who repeatedly visit my home because the accommodation is more affordable than the standard hotel. Besides, they also appreciate and enjoy the hospitality of the hosts, and value the opportunity to connect with local residents such as myself who help them with identifying and accessing jewels in the city that they would not generally be made aware of if they were staying at the standard hotels. Therefore, why should I have to be legislated like, or more than the hotels in NYC? I ask that you consider our situation, and build affordable homes for New Yorkers to address the city’s housing crisis.

  Comment attachment
  Airbnb-Response.docx

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:48pm

• Nancy Sanchez

  No more free passes for AirBnb hosts to rent out spaces as they please. Not in this city. If you want to run your rental business do so with proper regulations. Other industries have strong regulations, and so should the tourism industry. What value does it offer to the rest of the neighborhood? If anything it could only change the face of our city for the worse. Less families, more transplants and travelers just passing through. I live in Woodhaven and thankfully I haven’t seen this issue too much in my neighborhood yet. But I’ve seen what goes on in areas closer to Manhattan, and I know it’s just a matter of time before it makes my area unaffordable. I urge the city to please help protect our neighborhoods by getting rid of illegal airBnb rooms.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:49pm

• Alberta Boateng

  I’ve been a New Yorker for 30 years and I want to comment on the cost of living in this city. I am very concerned about how expensive housing is and I encourage the city to take any and all measures to lower rent prices. If this means putting a hard cap on short term rentals, then so be it. I’m sick of worrying about whether I’ll be able to live here long-term or be priced out of this city. The Bronx is counting on the OSE to keep the city’s apartments available to be safe, clean, affordable homes.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:55pm

• Mark Mershon

  My wife and I frequently visit Brooklyn to spend time with our daughter and her husband. Their apartment is not large enough to accommodate overnight visitors, so we stay in short-term rentals and hotels. There are no hotels in their current neighborhood, so we have recently stayed in short-term rentals within walking distance of their apartment. We have found that, in addition to better proximity, short-term are often quieter and better maintained than hotels.

  If the proposed rule sharply reduces the availability of short-term rentals, we will likely reduce the frequency of our visits to the New York. Our daughter and her husband will visit us more frequently, and our dining and entertainment dollars will not be spent in the city.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 2:56pm

• Helen M

  I have been trying to discuss the proposed implementation of Local Law 18 – The Regulation of Short term Rentals in NYC with members of the city council with little success. I want to make clear the immediate & devastating effect they will have on some of the citizens of NYC . I believe much of this bill is based on false information and misconception of who are the majority of hosts in NYC.

  Most are what I call single unit or “small” Hosts are people renting a room to make monthly expenses and maybe the whole apartment a few times a year if traveling. Or they can be owners of a 2 family home renting the apartment in their home occasionally. “Commercial” hosts own multiple units, do not live in any of them and have little at stake in keeping their neighbors happy.

  So are there bad actors in the STR space? Of course and most small hosts want them removed. But if this proposal goes through as written, I know of 4 long-term neighborhood renters on my block who will eventually be evicted, including myself, due to loss of income. These are people who have lived in the East Village & NYC for decades & are struggling with the rising costs, on top of the economic loss during the pandemic. I have been a private room host for 7 years in the East Village ever since I became disabled & could no longer walk or stand more than a few minutes at a time. I suffer from severe chronic pain in my knees and am on strong pain meds. I have been renting my home in the East Village for 22 years now & know if the rules are enacted as Mr Klossner states, I will be homeless within 4 – 6 months. My helper lives a block away & my cousin lives in the building, so I staying in this location is vital to me as they make it possible for me to be independent. But because my apartment is rent stabilized at a cost of $2300 for a jr 1 bedroom, I know I will not be able to register for STR as the rules stand now. For those wondering why not get a roommate, a regular roommate would not cover all my living expenses(1/2 rent/utilities & food) and you do not get occasional breaks to enjoy your home by yourself. I do not see any gov plan on the horizon that will help people keep their homes without the extra income STR provides.

  Note: If you think my unit will continue to be rent stabilized if I am evicted, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. I know of 6 units in my building of 16 apartments that have had rents illegally increased to open market in the last decade. One unit after the new rules went into effect, it went from $750 to $3200 and I know the new tenant is clueless he is due a rent reversal soon.

  What does the city think is going to happen when you take away anywhere from 100% – 25% of a person or families income? I am curious, has a study been commissioned by the city yet to know the effects of the implementation of Local Law 18 on hosts or does the city just not care? By the way, Inside Airbnb uses faulty logic when stating income. They assume if a unit is not available to rent then it must be rented to a guest and not that a host only has it available for very limited periods of time or has duplicate listings. This faulty logic causes a misconception on the profits and how many units are truly being held off the residential rental market. In my case they doubled the amount I actually earned for 2022.

  Inside Airbnb data on the number of hosts in NYC only listing one unit, entire apartment or private room, is over 21K. So if these rules shut down 50% of the small hosts, a low number to me, that means 10,000 people & families will be facing considerable financial hardship. If only 10% of hosts get the majority of their income from Airbnb, implementation of these rules can add over 2K homeless rolls, assuming a single resident per listing which is not always the case!! Now this infromation does not take into account which single listinghosts are enting thir home or an income property, which is my point. Shouldn’t the city know that information before potentionally causing a bigger problem?

  There are about 5k hosts on Airbnb with 2 listings. I do not include 2 listing as a good barometer of who is a commercial host, as a single unit host may have 2 listings – one for the primary business of a STR private room and one for the occasionally whole apartment rental. But over 7K Hosts have over 5 listings with 5K of that number having over 10 listings! Why isn’t enforcement going after these clearly commercial operators? The OSE – Office of Special Enforcement receives inthe activity quarterly from the various platforms with the hosts name and the addresses they have listed. It should not be that difficult to cross check. But instead there are stories rampant among “small” hosts of agents forcing themselves inside homes without warrants and writing up code infractions even when there are no guests at all.

  Former city council member Ben Kallos who wrote the legislation requiring registration, is quoted in an TV interview as saying, “this is really going after the people who have more than one place… I don’t think that we’re really focused on going after somebody who is going away for a weekend. Single families who rent one space should not be worried.” But that is clearly not how Christian Klossner has interpreted the regulations. He has decided every host must register, and if you do not meet any of the code requirements you will be rejected.

  By penalizing the platforms $1500 a transaction, Klossner is guaranteeing no one without a registration number can even list their units. Almost no one can meet all the code rules per various realestate experts & lawyers have writtenlately, as they are extensive and exclude a rent stabilized apartments. By the way not all rent stabilized apartments are $500 a month – Many like mine are well over $2,000 without utilities.

  But even if you did met all the regulations for a private room rental, as a renter at any time a landlord can say “no”. What happens to hosts when they cannot STR because they do not fit the regulations a Director Christian Klossner has stated they will be enforced or a Landlord sees an opportunity to force a turn-over? Are hosts going to be added to the growing Homelessness crisis in NYC?

  While I think homeowners of 2 family homes should be able to STR their extra apartment if they want, I also think renters should be able STR for limited period of time each year. Employment in America & NYC is no longer a guarantee of vacation pay or other benefits, and many New Yorkers are gig or independent contractors. These workers can never take a vacation because they must always work to make the rent. Renters in any unit, market rate or rent stabilized, should be allowed to STR their unit for 6 weeks a year. This would allow renters to visit family or just vacation without worrying about making that monthly rent. By limiting the time per year to under 6 weeks for STR on whole apartment rentals you ease the burden on the middle and lower classes of NYC. You also guarantee a “commercial” host will not be able to take advantage as 4 weeks STR income will not pay the rent for a year.

  My Proposal:
  1. Amend the STR regulations in NYC to allow one Private room rental in all units without registration. Allow locks on bedroom doors.
  2. Allow entire apartment unit rentals 4-6 weeks a year, without registration with the city in any type of rental/owned apartment.
  3. Anyone who wants to STR an entire apartment unit for more than 6 weeks must register to prove they own the unit, live at the same address and are only allowed to register one unit.
  4. Hosts who want to register more than 1 unit or do not live at that address must follow all the codes and regulations of a hotel.
  5. Levy a tax to support the financing of low-income housing in all boroughs.

  The OSE – Office of Special Enforcement – gets all the rental information from the various platforms and can easily determine which units are not following the rules. The various platforms have the ability to enforce these rules during the listing & booking process too. Amending the rules to what I propose will help financial struggling people make ends meet in an extremely expensive city while weeding out the bad actors.

  This regulation was approved without any live feedback from residents or studies commissioned by the city so lets slow down and be sure these “rules” will have the effect the council truly desires. I want to believe it is just lack of information that resulted in a regulation so drastic. A more nuance approach will help the “small” hosts, eliminate the bad actors and give they city council a PR win. This would be good for almost all.

  I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to come in and explain how STR is being used by people like me, the error in the data used to create Local Law 18 and my proposal for an amended implementation for now. I have attached a study done about the effects the new rules may have on NYC.

  Comment attachment
  2022.12.03-Expert-report-of-Professor-Michael-Salinger-for-Airbnb-2.pdf

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:02pm

• John Stalzer

  I oppose this rule. Due to high rents I can’t afford to my apartment rent without a little supplemental income from renting rooms in my apartment.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:04pm

• Perpetual Osei

  I’ve been living in this city for 27 years. The changes to most neighborhoods have been so dramatic that people are leaving. They can’t afford to stay. Rent is so high that landlords have been driving us New Yorkers further and further away from our homes, and it’s been happening for years now. This city is beautiful, and theres a place for everyone in it. But New York has to be home to the hardworking people that have been here through the years before. I don’t want my neighborhood turning into some place for travelers. Sure, it could be rewarding for landlords, but what about for families? For regular working people? Not knowing who is in your building on any given night, the foot traffic, and the noise? It’s gotten out of hand and it’s time for fair laws to to be put in place.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:11pm

• Meena Mainali

  My main concern with illegal hotel rooms is the lack of regulation and clarity about what’s going on in them. I live in Woodside, Queens and have been a resident of New York City for over 25 years. My husband and I chose this neighborhood because of its affordability and safety. I like to know my neighbors and have relationships with them. This is important for my own sense of community, but it also helps keep me safe. It’s very important to me that I know what’s happening in my own area. The idea of tourists staying in homes near me without any oversight or record is really terrifying. There’s a reason why New Yorkers choose not to live in Times Square. Please pass regulations on illegal hotels so that we can keep our communities safe.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:15pm

• Christine Fortis-Raman

  Our short term rental in our one family home provided 1/3 of our income for last year. With rising inflation on everything, including home utilities and taxes, I don’t know how we would be able to keep our home if we were unable to do short term rental. Now I know that as a one family home owner we can still rent. But we should be able to separate our living quarters from the area that we rent to guests to provide them as well as ourselves privacy. And I can’t think of one valid reason why we shouldn’t be allowed to use locks to separate our living spaces. Long term rentals reduces the amount that we can earn and also subjects us to potential squatters which can make our home a hostile environment or unsafe for our family.

  I understand the need to not have landlords rent at all their apartments as AirBnB‘s and I’m not against that change in the law. But I do not see a benefit to making it challenging for one/ two family homeowners with so many restrictions. people who live in their house and happen to have a two family home should be able to rent the other apartment as a short term rental as long as they reside in the other apartment within the building.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:27pm

• Mark D

  I am a home owner of a two family house in Brooklyn. Since the start of Covid-19 in 2020, keeping a tenant has been very difficult. I had one tenant who needed to move out of my apartment because of financial struggles due to her partner leaving her. I also had a married couple who were renting from me for about a year and they were great people and very kind. Unfortunately, the husband was gravely ill and passed away due to cancer. Sadly, the wife and the rest of her family had to move due to this abrupt and sudden loss.

  I decided to transition to Air-BNB about a year ago because it was becoming challenging find tenants who could pay the rent amount that I needed to pay my mortgage and utilities. Utility costs have increased substantially after the post Covid-19 pandemic. I know that I speak for myself and the many home owners in residential areas who rely on short-term rentals to take care of their financial needs because of the increased rate of inflation and job wages which have remained stagnant in many industries.

  Local Law 18 is not fair because it eliminates the use of short-term rentals for hosts who need to rent their entire apartment for financial needs. Majority of hosts, including myself, do not feel comfortable sharing our own apartments with guests with an unlocked door, and therefore would eliminate short-term rentals almost entirely. It also would not generate enough income to accommodate financial needs. I do agree that there is a need to regulate short-term rentals, specifically for greedy landlords of commercial buildings who have listed hundreds of apartments on platforms. Many of these property-owners do not even live in New York City. There should also be restrictions for tenants who sublease apartments on the Air-BNB without their landlord’s consent. This law should not apply towards home owners of one and multi-family homes in residential areas because we are not the direct cause of the housing crisis. The housing crisis has been related to property owners of commercial buildings who abused the short term rental platforms listing hundreds of apartments. Many people who travel to New York City visit families in smaller neighborhoods where hosts of Air-BNB and other platforms have been able to accommodate needs with single and multi-family homes with necessary amenities like washing machines, dishwashers, and dining tables. Many families do not have access to hotels in these neighborhoods that are not close to Manhattan. This law would greatly impact tourism in New York City and the economy. The hotel lobbyists have been making this a one sided issue and this is inaccurate and unfair. The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement can do much better to serve the people of New York City with a fair legislation.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:37pm

• Sabrina M

  Being able to rent out on airbnb removed a layer of stress of not being able to pay my rent if anything happened. for a lot of NYers airbnb is vital.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:45pm

• T

  The conversation around Airbnb in the city has ostensibly surrounded the availability of long-term housing. That is the supposed basis for this very legislation, which will be the most stringent in the entire country. However, hotels have seemingly been entirely immune to any criticism. Not only that but they are heralded by the city!

  https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/newyorkcity/Hotel_Development_Q1_2022_Outlook_3_8_2022_46f9aba3-522e-4523-8d8f-e136760e2ea8.pdf

  The above link is from NYC&Co, the official marketing arm of the city, touting its 2022 hotel development outlook stating 54 hotels in the “active pipeline.” This figure excludes mere proposals as well, so these are seemingly in active construction and are expected to operational by next year. This document also touts another 172 hotels opened since 2015. They are also forecasting an increase in operational hotel rooms from 88,000 in 2020 to 130,000 by 2024. That’s a nearly 50% increase in hotel rooms! If long-term housing was really such a concern for this city why are short-term rental hotels continually able to receive licensing from the city?

  All of these areas could theoretically be re-zoned for residential buildings, as other zones have been changed to accommodate hotels (ie. Williamsburg Waterfront). Governor Hochul signed a bill in June 2022 to help convert some hotels to long-term housing. This and other common sense legislation should be the focus of the city. I understand that there have been bad actors in the Airbnb arena, and the OSE should continue to direct their efforts there—not at individuals sharing a single apartment. As others have stated below, this is necessary for financial stability of the individual NYC resident as opposed to these international hotelier conglomerates mentioned above who are just padding their profits for shareholders and using loopholes to avoid as much taxation as possible.

  I think we all agree that Airbnb activity needs to have sensible legislation in the city but this is not the way. The vast majority of Airbnb hosts are individuals who depend on the income generated to survive. The bad actors should be and can be dealt with, while the good actors continue to welcome guests from across the world to areas of the city that lack traditional accommodations and where these guests spend their tourism money. Airbnb is clearly part of the new guard of business (the sharing economy) and without it tourists will go to other cities where it is feasible to visit. The way forward should be a sensible mix of both hotel and Airbnb activity. I understand unfettered ability to operate Airbnb rentals in the city is untenable, but perhaps a pathway to grandfather some of the current hosts could be possible?

  In summation, Airbnb is far from the sole reason that there is a shortage in long-term housing and even farther from the reason why rents are skyrocketing. For too long Airbnb has been the scapegoat and this legislation only cements this while doing very little to actually change the cost of rent in the city. And isn’t that the real issue we should be concentrating on?

  Comment attachment
  NYCCo-Official-Hotel-Development-Outlook.pdf

  Comment added January 10, 2023 3:54pm

• Tony Lindsay

  This a clearly a hostile attack on working class homeowners. The fact that this policy has been passed without the involvement of the public speaks volumes. These astoundingly prohibitive policies will make it nearly impossible for many New Yorkers who own property to remain in this city. This is Mayor Adams way of kicking out the middle class in order to continue with Bill Deblasio’s plan to customize the city for the rich. Expecting people to change their Certificates of Occupany and remove all locks within their apartments (including hosts’ bedrooms), and install $20,000 sprinkler systems, in order to convert their PRIVATE homes that they choose to earn money in from time to time, into COMMERCIAL HOTELS just to host people is absolutely ridiculous! I suggest that everyone affected by this policy file a lawsuit, not only for this overtly anti-democratic action on the part of the Adams administration, but also for the abuse of power, using governmental offices to deliberately attempt to bankrupt and send into poverty an entire segment of the population in New York. I hope to see multiple class action lawsuits moving forward. This nonsense only seems to happen in places like New York and California, where we have the highest cost of living, with highest poverty rates. It’s intentional. We must not allow this to pass under ANY circumstance.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 4:35pm

• Anh Summers

  Individual homeowners with a listing in an owner-occupied building are not in the same category as commercial landlords operating large scale rental business. Undermining the ability of individual homeowners to rent property based on their needs is an imbalanced infringement upon owners’ rights, discourages home ownership, and represents a slippery slope towards government overreach. It would limit income spent on local businesses and crucial revenue that visitors bring to local communities. These new measures are unfair to homeowners and extremely unbalanced in favor of hotels. Balanced legislation must differentiate between individual homeowners with owner-occupied listings and large scale rental businesses. D Summers

  Comment added January 10, 2023 4:57pm

• Pat M

  We are totally frustrated by this new rule. We try to get back to Brooklyn regularly to visit our friends and family and there are very limited hotels in the area. Having a place to stay nearby makes a huge difference to being able to visit comfortably. It’s also helpful to have a place to work remotely while we are visiting. We hope you will reconsider this rule and allow non-hotel type lodging available in the greater NY area.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:03pm

• Cordelia

  https://abc7.com/marriott-airbnb-rental-properties-new-business/11829019/

  Well..maybe this is what we need to be classified as

  Private home rentals…i dont understand how Marriot Hotels ud allowed private home rentals and we are not?

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:06pm

• Daniel

  I am a lifelong Brooklyn resident that has a family that has lived on the same block for 100 years. We have a townhouse and rent one floor when it is empty. The key is when it is empty because we allow people that have no ability to pay & stay in NYC stay with us for free (think of an American family that moved to the Middle East to help refugees or living in Malawi doing similar good deeds). We have people with us for many many months so we use Airbnb when it is empty so we can afford to pay the mortgage. On top of that our finances are limited especially since the COL has gone up by so much this last decade. Creating draconian rules against Airbnb has been the only thing that has kept us living in Brooklyn and I can’t understand how my city, the city of many generations of my family, can harm me in this way.
  It is worth mentioning that NYC has declared a housing crisis since at least the 1960’s. Think of that, if something is a crisis for 60 years maybe it is not really a crisis? NYC sold off so much of the real estate it owned and could have built housing on it all these decades yet it did not. Please stop making good honest residents that use Airbnb the scapegoats for what the city clearly has not solved.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:14pm

• Wilfredo Ruiz

  My name is Wilfredo and I am a proud resident of Elmhurst, Queens. I think it’s very important that new hosts register their operation with the city. If you are a host who is using an entire apartment to turn over guest after guest and traveler after traveler, your profit is my misery. The everyday hardworking family that calls NYC home all year round suffers because of your actions. We are the ones who have to deal with everything that comes with turning an apartment building into a hostel. My neighborhood shouldn’t be Times Square! I ask the city to please stop the illegal hotels and pass fair laws to protect our neighborhoods.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:15pm

• Scott P Krause

  We live in a 2-family home which we have been living in since 2016. We’ve rented one of the units as an Airbnb since that time.

  This law, as proposed, is far too onerous for responsible families like mine. I live in Bushwick, Brooklyn with my wife, infant son, and 83 year-old mother in law. Airbnb helps me pay my mortgage, feeds my family, pays bills, and helps fund my son’s future education. Switching to a long-term rental is not an option for us as we need to accomodate visits from out-of-town family members to help care for my son and mother-in-law.

  If this proposed rule were to be enacted, I would be forced to sell my home and leave New York, as living here as a home owner would no longer be affordable for my family. As lifelong New Yorkers, both my wife and MIL are lifelong New Yorkers who would be sad to leave the city.

  We have hosted several hundred groups of families and travelers, which have included both locals and tourists. These folks consistently spend money at local restaurants, cafes, shops and other facilities. In our experience as responsible hosts, we have been very strict with not allowing parties or the kinds of groups that would create a local nuisance or disturbance.

  I am renting out my own home that I pay for and where I reside, to families and small groups of guests. I do not have this 4-plus unit property where I’m not present to actively monitor the types of people renting it out.

  As a responsible taxpayer, I’m more than happy to pay my fair share. I find it unfortunate that the city is telling me I can’t rent out my own home in a reasonable fashion to best support my family. Again, if this overreaching, heavy-handed law is passed, I will sell my property and take the captal and associated tax revenue to a more family-friendly city.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:33pm

• David Bloom

  I rent out the garden apartment in my home, sometimes month to month and sometimes short term. Most of my guests/tenants are families who need a place with a kitchen and living space, and who want to stay near their friends. Have you ever stayed in a NYC hotel room with little kids? Tried keeping breakfast yogurts cold in a minibar? Gone to bed at 6:30pm because your kid needs to sleep? Shared a queen bed with a three yeat who sleeps like a starfish on double espresso? Hotels make it super hard for families to visit NYC. This proposed law is going to make it impossible for me to have flexibility over the apartment I own and make it much harder for my guests to visit NYC.

  Also, who wrote this law?

  21-03 12, you are going to publish my address? What for? Why would you do that?

  21-10 12, I can’t give someone a lock on their door? I cannot protect my room and let my tenant protect their room?

  This is a BS bill.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:33pm

• GB

  We own a 2 family home in Harlem where we live with our kids. We use AirBnB for short and some long term stays in our garden apartment. This helps to pay for our mortgage and to support local business ie restaurants, grocery stores, bodegas that depend on tourism to support their businesses (especially with rising costs!). We vet our guests and in the past several years have never had an issue or a problem with any of the tenants. Putting this law in place is a mistake and will impact local economies that are not within walking distance to hotels. Further, please note that at least half our guests are visiting family and looking for a location that’s convenient and which is not serviced by hotels.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:35pm

• lb

  We are being gaslit by our representatives and the OSE and it needs to stop. We are being told that this regulation doesn’t change anything, but in fact, it’s being used as an opportunity to surface and enforce antiquated regulations around private dwellings that have long been considered obsolete and even explicitly identified by many as not relevant to the short term housing regulation. Based on the changing position of different staff and administrations, it makes it difficult for long-time homeowners and lifelong new yorkers who often outlast many administrations to trust the or understand the statements that are being put forth. It feels very much like a bad faith statement to say that we are fear mongering and exaggerating the issue when everyone who has had to deal with the OSE and the DOB inspectors knows how much negative impact they can have on a small homeowner who relies on income from short term rentals. We are being told that we are responsible for the housing crisis, when the data and the facts clearly show otherwise. We see condos going up in our neighborhood, where affordable housing could easily be created. The blueprint for recovery tells us the mayor wants to get rid of antiquated regulations to help us recover from Covid, yet we see these these regulations being uplifted by his staff. This needs to stop. We have enough stress in our lives right now just trying to survive and rebuild the economy. I am a single mother who used my life savings to purchase my 2 family home in Greenpoint that I use for family to come visit, mostly my mom who helps me with my son. When my family is not visiting, I rely greatly on my short term rental income to pay my mortgage and my childcare costs while I’m also starting a small business to help make childcare more affordable and accessible for all families. I would never be able to do this without the income from my short term rentals. As a single mother, I’m very concerned about provisions that make data about myself, my home and my son publicly available. Please take a beat and revisit this regulation and how it will impact people that you are supposed to be serving.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 5:57pm

• Greg Meyer

  I think it is valuable to have short term rentals available for people in the city, they can serve a lot of useful roles for people. Not just for tourists but also for people who need a place to stay on short notice. The NYC rental scene makes it very difficult to get a place, especially so if you have problems with your credit or even just if you are looking at the wrong time. These kinds of short term rentals help to stop that gap for people.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:08pm

• Carol

  In advance I thank you for the opportunity to voice my opinion and insight regarding short time rentals (STR) in NYC.
  I urgently request that City Hall create a fair STR framework for NYC hosts.

  My husband and I are both senior citizens now living full time in a Harlem Brownstone owned by our son and his husband. Both men are humanitarian aide workers with the UN and presently are on postings out of the country.

  We have been associated with Airbnb for the past 5+ years and are considered Super Hosts. We have hosted great guests from all over the world and the USA.

  The house is a 4 story Brownstone.
  My husband and I live full time in a self contained apartment on the 4th floor. We rent the other 3 floors to only a small family or group of friends, one group at a time through Airbnb. This is the only property we rent. The rental space includes 3 ensuite bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen and small backyard. Our common areas are the stairs, hallways and front doors.

  We have excellent relationships with all our neighbors and have never had a single complaint regarding our guests.

  We are native New Yorkers, registered consistent voters, active members of our local parish, members of 2 block associations. We consider ourselves to be involved and active citizens. We believe in good government and reasonable laws and regulations. However we are greatly concerned with the pending legislation and how it might affect families such as ours.

  Regulating large operations in large buildings May make some sense but taking these opportunities away from 1-2 family homes and the people who live in them seems like an irrational and irresponsible way of solving the problem of high rents in NY. In our particular case we would never be able to consider long term renting.

  We definitely are not a threat to the hotel industry and should be able to co-exist side by side. Many visitors would never consider staying in hotel due to their finances. They just would not come! Many have told us as much. On the flip side the majority of tourist do prefer hotels and standardized accommodations. Both choices should be available to all. Clearly STRs such as ours contribute to the overall economy of the city. Our guests patronize neighborhood shops, restaurants and all the wonderful NYC tourist attractions. They spend much of their money in the local neighborhood.

  We are more than willing to register with the city and pay a reasonable yearly fee to be allowed to continue doing this type of small business.
  Thank you for your consideration.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:13pm

• Gail A.

  I have lived in my neighborhood for over 20 years. I love my community and want to continue to live here, and want younger generations of my family to live here and love this place as I have. However, the rent in the city has gotten so expensive that it is out of reach for the regular or low income person and even pushes people into homelessness. That’s why Airbnb is vital to us. It has allowed me to stay in my home and invest in my neighborhood. I’m able to share this special community with visitors from all over the world. These visitors allow me to invest in my community, care for my property, and keep the neighborhood a safe and wonderful place for us to live.
  In this way, Airbnb is also very important for tourism in New York City. Without it, travelers who are unable to pay exorbitant hotel rates might choose to not visit at all.
  New York is not just for the super rich but for everyone so please don’t take away these opportunities for the people who live here to try and make a better life, and for the people who dream of coming to the legendary NYC.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:27pm

• MR

  RE: Local Law 18 for the year 2022 (L18)

  I am a Short Term Rental host, an attorney specializing in Privacy Law, and a resident of New York City. Please find my legal analysis of the Short Term Rental registration rules being proposed by the Mayor’s Office of Special enforcement in relation to New York City’s Local Law 18 of 2022.

  The following considerations are not exhaustive. Many additional legal concerns, not addressed here, exist in regards to LL18. Most of the issues addressed here concern the privacy rights of hosts and/or guests.

  The following terms will have the meaning provided in the text of LL18: “Administering Agency,” “Building,” “Dwelling Unit,” “Listing,” “Listing Identifier,” Material Fact,” “Material False Statement,” “Owner,” “Permanent Occupant,” “Private Dwelling,” “Registered Host,” “Short Term Rental.”

  Terms not defined by the LL18:

  “Competence:” Shall have the meaning given by the Model Rules of Professional Conduct Section 1.1, as published by the American Bar Association (also “ABA”).

  “Breach” shall have the meaning set forth in General Business (GBS) CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 39-F Section 899-AA

  “Personal Information” shall have the meaning set forth General Business (GBS) CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 39-F Section 899-AA

  “Private Information” shall have the meaning set forth in General Business (GBS) CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 39-F Section 899-AA

  “General Data Protection Regulation” or “GDPR” shall have the meaning set forth by the European Parliament and Council of the European Union. All articles in the regulation shall be collectively referred to as “GDPR”

  “California Consumer Privacy Act” also “CCPA” and “California Privacy Rights Act” also “CPRA” shall have the meaning stipulated by the California Legislature

  “Other Applicable Privacy Regulations” shall have the same meaning as all applicable privacy laws and/or regulations enacted, modified, and/or amended by the states of the United States of America. Said definition shall include “CCPA” and “CPRA”

  Terms have been capitalized in accordance with Gregg Reference Manual.

  Please note: LL18 has not (1) capitalized terms, (2) properly defined terms, (3) properly identified the law’s sections, (4) been written in a manner that any and all New York City residents can comprehend. Regulations must be easy to understand by any and all residents, which means that, in general, such regulations need to be written at a ninth grade educational level. Failure to provide such inclusive language directly discriminates against any and all residents whose reading comprehension level does not align with the regulation as written.

  The Privacy Issues Identified Are as Follows:

  § 21-03.1.3 – Information to be provided as part of the application for the Short Term Rental registration.

  Hosts are required to provide the following information:

  Full legal name
  Current phone number
  Full physical address
  Email address or other means of communication “acceptable” to the Administering Agency
  Type of Dwelling Unit
  Full legal name of ALL permanent occupants of the Dwelling Unit and the NATURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP to the applicant
  A diagram of the Dwelling Unit, that includes “(i) all rooms in the unit, (ii) location of fire extinguishers, (iii) normal and emergency exit routes from the unit to the building that contains the unit, and (iv) which room or rooms will be used to house the short-term lodgers”
  Uniform resource locator of listing identifier associated with the booking
  Whether the applicant is a tenant or owner of the Dwelling Unit.

  Many issues arise from the language in § 21-03.1.3 of LL18, only the ones highlighted or underlined above shall be addressed:

  1. Full Legal Name: Demanding that hosts provide their full legal name for an application that will be publicly available is excessive. Many individuals do not use their full legal name on a daily basis and reserve such use for financial transactions. Moreover, providing a full legal name in conjunction with the information required in § 21-03.1.5 present substantial risks to individuals who may have their financials compromised in case of a data Breach. Publication or inadvertent disclosure of such Private Information and Personal Information may lead to identity theft, harassment, etc.
  2. Current Phone Number: most individuals do not retain the same number for multiple years and some do not have a phone or cellphone. Moreover, landlines are no longer common, so the likelihood of an individual modifying the phone number is high. This requirement would cause individuals the obligation to amend the application unnecessarily when another contact method has already been provided.
  3. Other Means of Communication: Means of Communication is not clearly defined and it is up to the Administering Agency’s discretion which “Means of Communication” are deemed suitable. This clause directly discriminates against individuals who are unable to complete the requirement and are left to the Administering Agency discretionary power to decide whether an alternative method is acceptable. This particular clause may directly affect individuals with levels of technology education that do not align with the requirement and those in financial difficulties, among others.
  6. Full Legal Name of All Permanent Occupants and the Nature of Their Relationship to the Applicant: This requirement is particularly alarming from a privacy perspective. Concerns will be addressed separately. While LL18 may not specifically state that such information will be disclosed, it does not prevent disclosure either. Thus, the risk of disclosure is clearly present and hosts are left to the discretion of individual enforcers:
  Full Legal Name of All Permanent Occupants:
  Children. The requirement of providing the full legal name of all permanent occupants indicates that information about children would become available. This requirement, combined with the requirement to provide the applicant’s full legal address, would result in children’s information becoming public or at least accessible to those engaged with the agency. This is dangerous enough as it is, but in case of a Breach this information may have even more dangerous repercussions. If this information were to become available to those who present a risk to children, including but not limited to, child molesters, child traffic rings, rapists, etc. would be able to gain knowledge of the name of the child in question and the address where they reside. It is concerning that none of these issues were considered during the drafting of LL18 or the proposed rules. Multiple Privacy Regulations around the world protect children’s information for this exact reason. The failure to protect children and creating an unnecessary risk to them can be argued to go beyond mere negligence and venture to the legal definition of recklessness.
  Victims of Domestic Violence, Harassment, Discrimination of Any Sort, and Any Other Individual Whose Identity or Geographic Location Should Remain Private out of Safety Concerns. During the pandemic cases of domestic violence increased ~10% in the United States of America, harassment against People of Color and of certain religious affiliations has also increased at unprecedented rates. The list and concerns mentioned below are, by no means, exhaustive.
  Victims of Domestic Violence. Survivors are now attempting to move away from their abusers, publishing their information or making such information available to unnecessary parties puts them at risk of injury, kidnapping, and even death. The fact that the City of New York is willing to put individuals at such a risk without any concern for their safety is egregious.
  Victims of Harassment and Violence Based on Their Status as a Protected Class (as defined by the Supreme Court of the United States). The pandemic and political and financial unrest brought about record numbers of discrimination, harassment, and/or assault. Providing a full legal name and full address creates a risk of minorities. Minorities would be put at further risk of violence by racist and xenophobic perpetrators if this information were to become public. This law would render all efforts by the City and the State of New York to protect minorities useless.
  Nature of Their Relationship to The Applicant. The nature of the relationships of people living under the same roof is and should remain private. The following issues are not exhaustive. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Moore v. City of East Cleveland, 431 U.S. 494 (1977) that relationships within a household are private. The case referred to an East Cleveland, Ohio zoning ordinance that limited the occupancy of a dwelling to “members of a single family.” Although the factual situation in this case is different, the following statements made by Justice John Paul Stevens in his concurring opinion are worth mentioning.
  Justice Stevens argued that the “critical question presented by this case is whether East Cleveland’s housing ordinance is a permissible restriction on appellant’s right to use her own property as she sees fit”. Additionally, Justice Stevens concluded the ordinance “cuts so deeply into a fundamental right normally associated with the ownership of residential property.”
  LGBTQ+, Biracial Couples, and Other Minorities Discrimination Concerns. Minority communities have seen improvement in their rights, protections, and acceptance in recent times. However, one would be remiss not to acknowledge that discrimination and violence against minorities continue to exist. For example, outing same sex couples (and even straight couples in some cases) could result in violence and/or harassment. This does not even account for individuals who choose to keep this information private from any third party, and who have a right to their privacy. The City of New York has continuously repeated its commitment to protect our community, yet LL18 completely disregards minorities and the violence they face daily.
  Parent – Child Relationship. Unconventional parental relationships could also become public, likely harming the child and family unit. For example, parents may choose not to disclose their child whether they are adopted or not, or whether they are being raised by a grandparent, aunt, or another family member as a result of their biological parents not being able to care for them. This requirement could make all of this information available. It will likely harm the family unit and the child themselves.

  § 21-03.1.4 – Administering Agency Discretion to Accept Documents

  In cases where a lease or property title is not available the Administering Agency may “at its sole discretion” accept a written statement explaining the reason for which the documents are not available. While documentation showing the power to enter the registration is appropriate, the power granted to the Administering Agency to decide at its sole discretion if a statement is sufficient is arbitrary and may vary from employee to employee making the determination. There are a multitude of reasons from which a person may not be able to provide such documentation. Thus, the Administering Agency should not retain sole discretion as it may lead to arbitrary decisions.

  § 21-03.1.5 – § 21-03.1.6 – Identification and Verification Documentation Requirements

  Unexpired Documents
  Driver’s license or StateID;
  U.S.Passport or U.S.Passport card;
  U.S. Military ID; or
  IDNYC card.

  Verification Information – Two Needed

  Utility Bill, dated within the last 60 days(e.g.,telephone,gas,electric,cable,or water);
  Correspondence from any government agency that shows home address;
  A voter registration card;
  Social Security Statement;
  A bank statement dated within the last 60 days;
  An automobile registration documentation;
  Income Tax Form For The Last Calendar Year;
  Insurance documentation or insurance bill that shows home address;
  Current (active) license or permit or certificate issued by a City/State/Federal
  government agency that shows home address;
  College or school correspondence that shows home address;
  A w-2 from the most recent tax filing period;
  Official payroll documentation that includes home address issued by an employer within the past 60 days, such as a paystub with home address, a form submitted for tax withholding purposes, or payroll receipt; or
  other forms of proof that the administering agency determines are acceptable and indicates as such by including such information on the agency’s website.
  “. . . financial information or personal identifying information about an individual that is not the applicant may be redacted by the applicant such that the financial information is not visible, and the administering agency shall accept the documents unless the redaction interferes with its ability to confirm the authenticity of the documentation.”
  Privacy Concerns

  First, I would like to point out that many individuals may not be able to produce these documents, including undocumented people. Secondly, many individuals may have concerns regarding making some or all of this information accessible to third parties. Thirdly, it is a blunt disregard of people living in the same household rights to not make their own information available, particularly when the Administering Agency retains discretion to assess whether redacted documents “interfere with its ability to confirm the authenticity of the documentation.”

  § 21-03.1.11 – Application Fee

  The fee is $145 non-refundable. This requirement assumes that all individuals aiming to be hosts are financially able to pay the registration fee upfront and will face no financial hardship if the application is denied and the fee is not refunded. No recourse or assistance is granted to these individuals. This arguably amounts to financial discrimination.

  § 21-03.1.12, 15-16, § 21-06.1 – Information Publication and Amendment.
  “Prior to requiring payment, the applicant shall indicate their understanding that the administering agency is required to publish on the city open data portal, for all registrations: the registration number; the uniform resource locators associated with such registration; the address and unit number of the dwelling unit, including latitude and longitude; the status of the registration, including active or revoked; and the expiration date of the registration.”
  Booking Services allow hosts to provide the information only after a booking has been confirmed. This allows hosts to maintain their privacy and the safety of their home (and guests). Publishing this information publicly has multiple concerns, including the aforementioned concerns about the safety of children, victims, and minorities.
  Additionally, the requirement to keep information updated at all times may further exacerbate the concerns listed above. It will also require additional work by hosts and will make public any modifications to the household.
  § 21-03.4-5 – Information Registration Certificate, Application Number in Advertisements, and Data Collection and Record Retention

  Copy of Certificate Publication. This requirement will result in hosts providing all of their Personal Information to anyone who enters the dwelling. The City of New York cannot force individuals to provide their Personal Information against their will. The City of New York is treating hosts as if they were running a business out of a commercial building and not hosting guests in their private residence. Hosts cannot be equated to business owners and have business guidelines govern over their residences. They are not a business, they are not a commercial institution, they are people renting rooms in their private residence (their private property). This is a place where they leave and that is and should remain private. They cannot be forced to publish their Personal Information and assume unnecessary risks to their financials, safety, and/or wellbeing.
  Application Number Included in Advertisements. The same concerns listed throughout this statement apply. Hosts publishing the Application Number in every single advertisement, will lead to them making unnecessary Personal Information public and assuming the risks of having their identity stolen, being harassed, facing risks of violence, etc.
  Data Collection and Record Keeping. Owners are required to keep records for a period of at least seven (7) years. While the regulation does not specifically request that guest Personal Information is retained separately by the hosts in order to satisfy the requirement, hosts are expected to segregate Personal Information in order to avoid guest identification. Hosts are not equipped to comply with this requirement while at the same time complying with all applicable Privacy Regulations, which vary in the definitions of anonymization and/or deidentification of Personal Information. Furthermore, even when no Personal Information is required the information requested by LL18 can lead to the identification of an individual through indirect identifiers. This would make hosts obliged to comply with a multitude of Privacy Regulations. In addition, multiple regulations grant individuals the right to have their Personal Information deleted and/or prohibit retention beyond a certain period of time. Many hosts provide accommodations for residents or citizens of the European Union, whose rights are protected by the GDPR. In the United States multiple states have passed legislation protecting their residents, those regulations would also require compliance by the hosts. Around the globe multiple countries have specific Privacy Regulations intended to protect their citizens abroad. Many of these regulations have not been translated into English, are too convoluted to understand, or there is simply no consensus as to how they should be interpreted. Hosts would also be required to comply with the security measures imposed by these regulations. The expectation that hosts can comply with all regulatory requirements and become well versed with such regulations is completely absurd. It takes attorneys years of law school, practice, and specialization to grasp the concepts of those laws and assist clients with regulatory compliance, to demand that hosts with their own work obligations and without a law degree to become Competent (as required by the ABA) is simply nonsensical.
  This requirement can have horrible repercussions for victims of domestic violence. It can also significantly affect persons who can become pregnant. Currently, the United States has been seeing an increase of regulations that prevent persons who can get pregnant from having access to reproductive resources, including abortion. Moreover, states have implemented regulations that allow the use of any information, that may be considered evidence, valid when prosecuting a person for their decision to not bear a child. People who flee their states to secure an abortion many times rely on more affordable accommodations, such as those provided by hosts. These records may be used not only against the people seeking the abortion, but also against the hosts and the booking agency. This particular regulation can have a detrimental effect on the right to make choices about one’s body. The City of New York has offered a safe haven to all those affected by other states’ intrusion over their choices. Yet, the City of New York, through LL18, forces people seeking to have an abortion to rent a room at a hotel. Many of the people choosing to stay with a host as opposed to a hotel do so because they cannot afford one. LL18 puts these people at a disadvantage and further supports the idea that abortion should be accessible to the wealthy ones, thereby further victimizing those with limited resources.
  The record keeping requirement, among others, puts hosts in the position of not being able to comply with Privacy Regulations; creates an unnecessary burden on hosts; and puts guests at risk of identity theft, criminal prosecution, civil penalties, and deprives them of their rights under Privacy Regulations.

  § 21-10.12 & New York Multiple Dwelling Home – Locks and Obligation to Be in the Residence at All Times.

  “A registered host shall not allow a rentee to have exclusive access to a separate room within a registered dwelling unit (e.g., providing the rentee with a key to lock the door when such rentee is not in the dwelling unit is prohibited).”

  It is surprising that the City of New York would consider that one cannot have a right to privacy in their own home. Hosts, as well as guests, cannot be deprived of their right to maintain aspects of their life private. Hosts and guests may have sensitive documents for example passports, checks, medical and financial information, etc. While a person may leave such documents unlocked when their immediate family is present, it is absurd to require people to leave such documents accessible to strangers. Moreover, many people are working from home right now, such people would likely have in their possession information that can be deemed confidential either under contractual obligations or constitutional protections. For example, employees are likely to have signed an Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which prevents them from making any company information available, attorneys, doctors, psychologists, etc. will have in their power privileged information. All of these people are required to make reasonable efforts to protect the information in question. One could argue that failing to lock a door and granting strangers access to the information does not qualify as “reasonable efforts.” LL18 puts people in the position of risking disclosure of confidential or privileged information, such a request is outrageous.

  “A common household is deemed to exist if every member of the family has access to all parts of the dwelling unit. Lack of access to all parts of the dwelling unit establishes a rebuttable presumption that no common household exists.”

  While New Multiple Dwelling Home allows for privacy locks when the person is present in the room, privacy locks at any other time are forbidden. Some of the concerns have been mentioned above. However, other considerations include, but are not limited to:

  The Right to Privacy Health Information. Preventing a person to lock the door to their room so no third parties can access the space, makes people who are on medication (many of them protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act) vulnerable to disclosure of their Private Information. All United States residents have the right to maintain their health information private (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – HIPAA). State or City governments cannot intrude on this right as it is protected by Federal Law. New York City is forcing hosts (and guests) to make their rooms (and anything contained inside) accessible to all those staying in the household. This includes their medical information and prescriptions. If a host were to take painkiller medications, and a guest were to obtain access, consume, and/or have complications from such consumption (e.g., overdose), the host would be liable for not preventing the guest from accessing the medications. The City is requesting that hosts absorb that risk. Moreover, it can be argued that the City is interfering with the wellbeing of the hosts as they are forcing them to choose between taking their medication or having a guest at the home.

  Right to Privacy of Sexual and Reproductive Practices. People’s sexual practices could be compromised. People may keep objects related to said practices in their private rooms. These pertain to the private life of any individual and should not be public to others. Hosts may have to modify their practices to accommodate LL18. This is simply unacceptable. Moreover, people trying to conceive, for example, may keep hormones and other medications (including syringes) in their private rooms. These medications are highly sensitive and should not be touched by any other person than the one using them. Tampering with such medications can lead to in vitro fertilization complications and possibly the failure of the procedure. These treatments are extremely expensive, many people can only afford to have them done once. In addition, many people only have the physical ability to have these treatments performed a finite number of times. Limiting or jeopardizing the reproductive needs and wants of a person is unfair, harmful, and cruel. No one should have their ability to conceive jeopardized to comply with an arbitrary, ill thought out, and poorly written law.

  Obligation to be on the Property. While the regulation does not specifically state that the host must be present “at all times,” it does state that a host must be present in order to have a guest. This means that people are not allowed to go to work, attend a dinner, buy groceries, socialize with friends, go to medical visits, go to political demonstrations, go to their place of worship, or even go to the Emergency Room, if so needed. Hosts have already reported being fined because they went to work and were not present at the residence. The idea that a host cannot leave their residence for a minute when hosting a guest is ludicrous and does not account for normal human behavior. It does not account for emergencies or recreational time, which is needed for a person’s mental health. This regulatory obligation puts hosts’ jobs at risk, puts their physical and mental health at risk, and does not account for every day-to-day living needs.

  § 21-13.6 – Preponderance of the Evidence.

  The City of New York has shifted the burden of proof onto the host. If a penalty were to be imposed, the host would qualify as a defendant. It would be the City’s obligation (as the plaintiff) to prove that a violation has occurred. It is not the obligation of the defendant to prove that one has not occurred. This clause goes against the Rules of Evidence.

  Other Considerations.

  Harassment. Guests have already reported being harassed by “inspectors” who interrogate them until they produce a statement of a “violation,” e.g., “I haven’t seen the host yet.” These interrogations qualify as harassment under the law. Civil Servants are not allowed to “interrogate,” “scare,” “intimidate,” or “harass” individuals. Inspectors have also been accused of “intimidating” guests until they report their hosts.

  Harassment and Abuse Against Women. Women hosts have reported that they have had male “inspectors” show up in groups at their homes and try to intimidate them into gaining access to their home. Some women have granted access and these individuals have opened cabinets, inspected bedrooms, bathrooms, fridges, etc. These “inspectors” are taking the discretion given by the City of New York and LL18 to abuse women and assert power over them, thereby turning them into victims of abuse. Many of them have ceased or are considering ceasing hosting at their private residence out of fear of the abuse.

  Inspections. Hosts have already reported having “inspectors” knock on their door and demand entry. Hosts are not given the option to refuse inspectors access to their property. They have been intimidated into granting access and some have reported suffering mental health problems after being victims of these intrusions due to the fear these “inspectors” have caused them.

  Business. Hosts are being treated as business owners and these “inspectors” are treating hosts’ private residences as a commercial business they can enter at will and disrespect as they please. They have shown no consideration for the fact that these are the hosts residences and the privacy implications of having an unwanted individual push their way into the hosts’ homes.

  Self-Regulatory Entity. The City has refused to provide the name of the entity that will oversee the practices of the Administering Agency. Instead, the provided guidelines to a convoluted process for filing complaints, that seems to be intended to discourage those considering filing one. They have further hinted at the fact that complaints will be reviewed and “investigated” internally. In other words, the Administering Agency would have sole authority and respond to no one, which in return will make the abuse of power and risk of harassment and mental abuse to hosts even greater.

  Housing Crisis. The assumption that LL18 will address the housing crisis is without merit. Hosts who rent a room in their house will not make that room available for long term rent. Short Term Rentals allow hosts to decide when the room can be available and when it cannot. Most hosts rely on these rooms being vacant when they have family and/or friends visiting. They are unlikely to have a roommate full time. Thus, the rooms removed from the booking platforms will likely not be put into the market.

  In conclusion, LL18 is completely flawed. It fails to account for basic privacy rights granted to individuals, puts hosts and guests at risk of mental and physical harm, will lead to discrimination, and curtails the rights of individuals to work, seek medical assistance, associate, practice religion, decide what to do in the privacy of their own homes, etc. The law is innately flawed and seems to have been written by individuals who have not encountered any of the issues mentioned above throughout their lives. It completely disregards the needs of minorities, risks posed to victims, the needs of any other group who may be affected by the law. It further disregards other regulations (including state and global) that may protect guests staying at the hosts’ home. The law seems to have been drafted by someone who has no understanding of the law as a whole, regulatory interactions, or the implications of the vague, overly broad, missing, and confusing terms or language, and the implications of the failure to account for the aforementioned. If LL18 is intended to regulate Short Term Rentals by corporations or owners with multiple properties, then LL18 fails to do so. LL18 mostly affects homeowners who rely on the Short Term Rentals for additional income. Consequently, LL18 should not become effective. If the City of New York chooses to enforce the law as written, the City should assume full responsibility for the harassment, discrimination, privacy violations, detrimental effects on minorities and vulnerable groups, and any and all legal issues whether mentioned in this document or not. This document is intended to put the city on notice of such concerns and the possible implications of the law.

  Comment attachment
  RE_-Local-Law-18-for-the-year-2022-LL18.pdf

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:35pm

• IR

  During her testimony at the 12/5 hearing, Assemblywoman Gallagher made a several statements about short term rental in her district without citations. Since December 6, 2022 I have called her offices daily asking for the source of her claims that:

  1) Airbnb units in her distract can make over $425,000 per year in revenue per unit, higher than what long term rentals pay. She based that on the rate of $175 per night.
  2) Thousands of her constituents have lost their homes to Airbnb rentals

  Her staff unfortunately has no idea where those data points came from and has been unable to reach her for further comment.

  We need to hold our elected officials up to higher standards. If they are going to give testimony at a government hearing they should be able to cite their sources and should be will to respond to questions about those statements.

  Assembly Woman Gallagher, we call on you to rejoin the hearing on Jan 11th and share verifiable data so that we can have an honest discussion about the real impacts to our city from short term rentals. Hyperbole should be left at the door.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:37pm

• RACHEL GOLD

  please please let us advertise on airbnb as it is the only affordable option to manage our monthly rent. thanks

  Comment added January 10, 2023 6:56pm

• Nathan Kerr

  The city’s new rules will make me loose my home and threatens my ability to pay my bills while keeping up with the high cost of property taxes, light, gas and water charges. Furthermore the new rules are so complicated making compliance a guessing game for me while it leaves discretion solely to the personnel from the city who’s tasked with enforcement. This is not good enough. I fear this law will just be another “stop and frisk” operation where people of color will be targeted for quick enforcement victories while others who can afford to hire legal representation are left to slide.

  I call on the Mayor and the Mayor’s Office to:
  1. Clarify the rules so that black and brown homeowners are not targeted and entrapped in this confusing set of rules
  2. Change rules that makes it less safe in our homes
  3. Create new rules that balances the needs of black and minority homeowners who are struggling with gentrification and exorbitant cost… with the safety of our homes while acknowledging the need for more housing in the city.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 7:52pm

• Matthew Tarricone

  Renting my apartment is solely done to make passive income in an overpriced city that is driving residents out. I do so responsibly and safely (insurance, verified renters). And come every April, I pay my taxes, including Airbnb. Taxes that I don’t see going back into my neighborhood. In this case, being used against its residents to protect Big Businesses (Hotels).

  Please let me survive. This isn’t a dramatic statement. I enjoy NYC, but it is crumbling because we’re wasting our resources on irrelevant matters like short-term rentals. I would hate to have to move to Florida… God Help Me.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:08pm

• CF

  These rules are totally ridiculous, unreasonable and unnecessary. The State should protect the people of NY. We need the help especially with the Pandemic, recession and inflation. We can barely pay for our basic needs like food. Eggs are $6 a dozen. Amongst other produce and food. The monies from ABB are actually helping tremendously with necessities and living expenses. Electricity, gas, food are steadily going up and there’s not enough monies. I know that I and plenty of other people will be homeless. This rule cannot go through. We need the Governor and Mayor to help the People of NY. Stand with US as we have stood for you and voted for you to look out for the people not corporations. We need ABB to survive and not be homeless.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:27pm

• M N

  Hello OSE, Mayor Adams, and NYC City Councilmember:

  I am a 22-year resident of Bedford-Stuyvesant and a lifelong NYC educator. I reside in a 2 family Brownstone which my husband and I purchased in the early 2000s. I also am a registered voter and proud to vote locally, in state-wide elections, and nationally. As our kids have gotten older and increased in age, so has the cost of living in NYC, especially in our Brooklyn neighborhood.  For the record, I  purchased a home in BedStuy for 3 main reasons: 1. It was where we could afford- as Bedstuy was the last remaining “Brooklyn Brownstone” neighborhood that was affordable to middle-income buyers. 2. A brownstone, was an appreciating asset-this was our first home and I felt proud that we had “gotten a piece of the pie”, especially in NYC.  3.  BedStuy was one of the last remaining neighborhoods where we could purchase a home that could help to pay for itself. The possibility of purchasing a multi-family home that was income-producing was a “no-brainer” for my family. Ultimately, it was a win-win situation.   

  Fast forward to today and the current Airbnb/Short Term Rental controversy,  I would have never imagined, as a homeowner scrapping to make it in the most expensive city in the US, that government officials would limit and go so far as to pass laws to prevent me from doing what NYers have done for decades:  purchase property and use their property to generate income. The new STR and Airbnb restrictions have put homeowners, like me in an unfair and deprived situation. I feel targeted, belittled, and quite frankly enslaved by overreaching and draconian-like laws passed by the city council, and supported by Mayor Adams (who I voted for). It saddens me, to know that in NYC, a place established by immigrants, and known to uplift the “little guy”, politicians have taken such an overextended and unjust position. A decision I have to say disproportionately is affecting minority and moderate-income homeowners the most.  It is hurtful that politicians would go to such lengths to limit my freedoms and income-generating potential. It was not easy to save and buy our home, it was a sacrifice and a commitment (especially when no one else wanted to live here). Yet, we did it and now we are being told how to own, who can stay, and for how long. 
   
  Certainly, a homeowner of a multi-family dwelling can not and should not be lumped in the same boat as a law-breaking condo owner, apartment renter, or rule-breaking co-op owner. Certainly, I can not be violating city codes and laws simply because I choose to rent my 2 family home and extra space for less than 30 days, however, I magically become an asset to the NYC economy and am considered to be “doing my part” if I agree to rent for 30 days or more. I find it disingenuous for the city officials to pretend they are looking out for the moderate-income buyer and renter when these same officials continuously grant developers the right to build luxury hi-rises without rhyme or reason and designate a mere 10% of these luxurious residences to low to moderate income renters or buyers.  We can do better and must do better.  I ask that Mayor Adams and the city council look to address this controversy with the nuanced, moral, respectful, and equitable mindset that it requires. I will end by reaffirming that NYC is great because of the people who live, work, perform, rent, own, and visit.  Homeowners participating in the Airbnb and STR real estate market should not be used as the scapegoat or be subject to restrictive and harsh laws, simply because they own a home and exercise their NYC freedom of choice:  to rent for 30 days, less than 30 days, or enter into a long term lease. I ask that you enact laws and administrative codes that reflect NYC’s DNA and that “everyone can make it” spirit (whether big or small). Govern and vote with a conscience and mindset that supports and upholds individual rights to live, work, love, and yes, RENT to whomever we choose in order to succeed and thrive.

  Sincerely, 
  District 36 Constituent and Voter

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:34pm

• Shondelle Wright

  I do this to someone supliment for income, because I’m a nursing student, just graduated as a Registered nurse, the income helped me, since I could not work the hours, due to studying for nursing school. I also enjoy having people from different culture and ethnicity stay with me, they also enjoy NYC, visiting family, nights out in the city, parks, restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The highlights of New York City. They do enjoy it, and their experiences is always positive. I’m very proud of this great city and the feedback from visitors/ guest, whom I host. Please don’t make changes. We pay our taxes. Thanks I’m anticipation.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:36pm

• Mark Macias

  This short term rental law is going to hurt the boroughs that need this tourism money the most. Tourists and families from Europe, South America, Asia and the US have all rented our 3 bedroom apartment in Bed Stuy. This was tourism money that stayed in Brooklyn and went to real New Yorkers – not hotel conglomerates like Hyatt, Hilton and those other hotel chains lobbying for this law.

  In our case, our short term rental created jobs with local apartment cleaners. The local coffee shop on Tompkins and Halsey street got tourists in the morning. And the restaurants throughout Bed Stuy got tourists experiencing their cuisine. This won’t happen with a short term rental law. This new law is going to push all of these tourists to visit other US cities because they won’t be able to afford Manhattan hotel prices. And for those tourists who decide to visit Manhattan, they won’t have any choices for hotels but in Manhattan. That does not give them the melting pot of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx.

  The money from these short term rentals also helps pay our mortgage. The mayor and city council might think this short term rental law will help with the housing shortage. We don’t want to be landlords and worry about collecting rent. We’ve heard too many horror stories of tenants who refused to leave and went 2+ years without paying rent. We can’t afford that risk. We don’t want that stress of trying to evict a tenant who doesn’t pay rent or collect late rent from tenants. Airbnb takes away this stress. It collects the rent and helps us vet tenants who will treat our home like their own. Many of our guests rent their own homes on Airbnb, so they appreciate and take care of our home.

  Any politician who believes that this law will curb the housing shortage is living under a rock. If you want to end the housing crisis, make it easier for developers to get their projects approved. Give more tax credits to developers. But don’t target families that have 2 family homes and are merely trying to cover their mortgages with the help of their short term rental.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 8:40pm

• Al

  I own a 2 family house in Queens and am writing to voice my opposition to the proposed rule. The proposed rule unfairly sweeps small time owners of 1 and 2 family homes under the broad brush of the City’s efforts to remove listings that are misleading, dangerous, bothersome and contributing to our affordable housing crisis in NYC. In contrast, 1 and 2 family homeowners use short-term rental services like Airbnb to make ends meet, host visitors in neighborhoods that lack traditional accommodations like hotels, or simply choose to list their spaces because the services offer more flexibility than leasing the space for a year to a tenant. As a new parent, renting out our garden unit on Airbnb has provided a much needed income boost while still allowing us to use our unit as extra space for family to stay when they are in town to help us care for our baby. Otherwise, our parents and relatives would have to stay far away in Brooklyn or Manhattan, a thirty minute car ride or longer by public transit.

  Additionally, we cannot afford to potentially have a long term tenant who stops paying rent. We choose to list our space with Airbnb because it provides us with cash up front and a manner of recourse in case a guest mistreats our space. The City argues that applying this rule to 1 and 2 family homeowners is necessary to reclaim affordable housing units that are otherwise being used for short-term rentals. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that even if short-term rentals become banned in 1 and 2 family households, most owners (including us) will not begin renting their additional units to long-term renters. The combination of retaining the flexibility to host family and friends in addition to the potentially catastrophic scenario of having a long-term tenant refuse to pay rent is enough of a deterrent where many small time homeowners will not list their apartments, defeating the stated purpose of gaining back affordable housing units.

  The solution is clear. Carve out an exception in the rule for 1 and 2 family homeowners who provide safe, clean, hospitable experiences for guests choosing to stay outside the main commercial areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The City can still go after landlords that abuse short-term rental services by running illegal hotels that scam tourists and remove great swaths of potentially affordable units from the rental market. Lumping in 1 and 2 family homeowners with these operations serves no purpose, except for taking away needed accommodations in areas with no hotels, and valuable income sources for NYC’s shrinking middle class. We would be happy for the City to use a registry to monitor short-term rentals in 1 and 2 family houses to make sure they are well-regarded, clean and safe. This is a simple solution that could be monitored using publicly available reviews on listing sites. Please consider this exception and solution in order to make this rule fair for the small time homeowners and families who provide valuable services to the City by listing their spaces on short-term rental sites.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:12pm

• Mary

  I have been an airbnb host for 11 years and a Superhost for the past 2 years. I own my condo in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, where there are little to now hotel options. I rent out a bedroom in the home I also reside in. While this current proposed law will not stop me from continuing short term rentals, this will affect so many people I know, both hosts and visitors.

  Someone who wants to rent a room, or a full apartment on airbnb in Brooklyn is not someone who will just opt to go get a hotel in Times Square. Airbnb provides the flexibility to be in the neighborhood you want to be in. My guests want to stay with me bc they have family or friends in my neighborhood. They in turn go to local restaurants and businesses and see a side of NYC that 90% of typical tourists or visitors do not see. They want to use a kitchen. They want to save a little money. And they represent real revenue to NYC when they visit. If you take away this option, quite simply, many will not visit anymore.

  As for the hosts. The majority of airbnb hosts DO NOT rent out a room or unit or apartment that would be suitable for long term housing. Many people rent out rooms or apartments when they are not being used by friends, or family. If STR is eliminated these units will not become available for a typical 12 month lease. This will not solve the housing crisis – in most cases.

  Now – as hundreds of other people have commented – there are some people taking advantage of the situations. Some building owners or developers are renting out multiple (not 2 or 3, but like 10+) units and charging way more on airbnb than they could get renting out to a long term lease. Those people should be stopped. Those people are causing problems. But people like me, and many others who just own one condo, or maybe a 2 family home, are not the problems.

  Additionally, eliminating the usage of the airbnb and vrbo platform will not actually stop STR – ppl will just list on FB or craigslist or whatever other way it was done before. However, it will make it more dangerous for the hosts (no screening that airbnb does for us) – and it will also mean that the hosts won’t pay taxes on their income to the city anymore. How does that help anyone?

  Please reconsider these regulations as they are written. They are not accomplishing what you are hoping.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 9:31pm

• Kelvin Antigua

  Hi My Name is kelvin Licay ! I have been hosting for Airbnb since the pandemic started, for me it’s has been a plus on my earnings due to the lack of job opportunities in New York City ! As for right now is the only chance I have to pay my rent and cover my utilities since my spouses díscerterted me is been very di to make a living for myself and hosting for Airbnb has giving me the opportunity to keep myself on float ! However I am more than willing to collaborate with the city in anything possible in order for us to keep hosting for this amazing company and make sour living !

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:14pm

• Tom I.

  I am an artist and travel during the year. Sometimes I rent out my place when I am not here. For people like me, it’s the only way to make NYC “affordable”. I understand focusing on large professional companies with lots of listings, but as an artist with limited income, not being able to rent out my place would force me to leave New York. These new rules are unfair to small individuals like me who need to supplement our income every now and then.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:23pm

• Beatriz

  it is unacceptable Mr. Kalos did not even know what kind of law he wrote. This is bad law and affects middle class New Yorkers. Let small Landlords to rent less than 30 days with rules that apply to the 2023 reality. NYC the most expensive city in the world with the more restrictions for middle class and less opportunities for those. Please Mayor Adams be the mayor in favor of the progress to our city.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:33pm

• Samuel Joseph

  We have an Airbnb unit and there is no decent hotel in my neighborhood. Besides this is helping me with paying my hills and helping me to keep my home. Without Airbnb I will kit be able to afford to pay mortgage and bills as everything in NYC is so expensive. Electricity is 3x the cost. We are already living paycheck to paycheck. Without Airbnb then we will not manage the upkeep of our home. In addition all our guest are families visiting NYC and they spend money in the local neighborhood and in our city. Airbnb attracts tourists to NYC.

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:40pm

• nycpolitics.com

  The following article was published earlier today on NYCPolitics.com
  ==

  OpEd By Calvin Thompson, Brooklyn Homeowner – Distributed by NYC Newswire

  New York homeowners need to watch closely as New York City Lawmakers are set to approve Local Law 18 that basically takes away your ability to rent your apartment as a short-term rental. Hotel lobbyists seem to have convinced the City Council and NYC Mayor Eric Adams that hardworking two-family homeowners are cutting into the multibillion-dollar New York City hotel industry’s profits.

  As Jumaane Williams, Public Advocate and a Former City Councilman, has stated, “We were clear our intent is not to go after one- and two-family homeowners… But the administration looks like they’ve
  opened a can of wild, wild west whoop-ass on them.”

  New York City homeowners have been renting out their spare apartments and rooms to earn extra money to pay for high NYC taxes, speed camera tickets, high cost of food, increased prices for oil, gas, and utilities. Make no mistake about it, this new law is going to hurt these hardworking homeowners.

  Many New York City hotels have turned into part hotel, part shelter. Maybe that’s their problem. New York City hotels are charging an exorbitant amount of money for rooms that are not properly maintained. The hotel industry is dying, not because of the hardworking homeowners, but because of their bad business practices. Why should homeowners suffer because of their inability to maintain their hotels properly.

  New York City Council Members are allowing this war on hardworking homeowners to take place. Once again, elected officials are siding with high priced lobbyists instead of the people who they are supposed to be lobbying for. The price of living in New York City is getting higher and higher, with no end in sight. New York City lawmakers have a way of supporting the hotel industry, developers and every other billion-dollar industry, on the backs of hard-working New Yorkers. For those who do not know, former Governor Cuomo’s family are owners of shelters in New York City, making it profitable to keep shelters alive, which means keeping homelessness alive. New Yorkers must be smart about what is happening in this city and smart when it comes to electing politicians who are either inept at understanding what is happening or in cahoots with the bad actors.

  According to an article on WPIX, these new rules were set to go into effect on Monday, Jan. 9, but the registration program will now begin 30 days after the final rules are published which will happen after a public hearing this week.

  Carolina Medina, a homeowner in Jackson Heights stated, “the city is making it nearly impossible for us to use our home appropriately,” Medina added. “We literally use our home for survival. What we make is what we use to maintain our home and maintain a livelihood and for my dad to be retired in peace.”

  I encourage all New Yorkers to join the online public hearing on January 11th and make your voices heard. Take notice of how your local City Council person votes on this issue. This will be a telling factor in understanding whether they support hard working homeowners.

  Join the Jan 11th hearing between 1pm ET and 8pm ET. Instructions and comments can be found online at: https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/rule/registration-and-requirements-for-short-term-rentals/

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:53pm

• NY1 Story

  Kelly Mena at NY1 published the following story today. You can find the video interview and original story at: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/01/11/new-city-law-would-set-regulations-for-short-term-rentals

  ===

  Making ends meet in New York City can look a little different for everyone. For some New Yorkers, it’s renting out an extra room or unit in their home.

  Erica Marcano is a native Brooklynite trying to stay in the neighborhood she grew up in. A recent nightmare experience with a random roommate put her at risk of not being able to afford her apartment until she got into short-term rentals.

  “Airbnb basically serves as having a roommate for me. It pays half the rent, half the utilities for the second bedroom,” said Marcano.

  What You Need To Know
  The law established new requirements for short-term rentals including a registration process. But the implementation process is still being ironed out

  Some of the proposed rules for implementing the law include providing personal information on everyone residing in the rental, providing a diagram of the rental and proof that a host resides at the listing

  The mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement will hold a hearing on Wednesday to get feedback on the proposed rules
  Marcano said she rents out her second bedroom a couple of times a month. Her listing is popular for its separate entrance, close proximity to Manhattan and for its neighborhood feel.

  However, things could get a little more complicated for Marcano under Local Law 18, which went into effect earlier this month.

  The law established new requirements for short-term rentals, including a registration process. However, how the registration system will work is still being figured out.

  So far, some of the proposed rules include providing personal information on everyone residing in the rental, providing a diagram of the rental, and proof that a host resides at the listing.

  One of the more controversial proposals is an option for landlords and co-op boards to apply to a prohibited building list.

  City officials say the law is meant to free up much-need housing units.

  “We can’t afford to have the city’s housing stock be used as private hotels for individuals,” said Klossner.

  Supporters of the law note that a revolving door of temporary guests is an issue for neighbors.

  City officials noted the prevalence of illegal rentals.

  “A legal short-term rental is when you are hosting no more than two people in your home while you’re living there at the time and they need to be maintaining a common household so they need to have access to full parts of the dwelling unit,” said Klossner.

  However, some hosts say the requirements and their implementation is an overreach.

  “How dare they kind of come into your house and tell you how to use your space,” said Gia B., who runs a short-term rental out of her family home in Brooklyn.

  Gia and her husband Paul are musicians who started using Airbnb amid the pandemic when shows dried up. They use the income from their listing — a garden level apartment — to supplement their housing costs.

  “This money has definitely kept us right there,” said Paul. “We’re not living high on a hog. We have property. We have our home, that’s it.”

  City officials estimate that over 10,000 illegal short-term rentals are in operation across the city.

  The mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement will hold a hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the proposed rules. For more information on the hearing visit: https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/rule/registration-and-requirements-for-short-term-rentals/

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:55pm

• BM

  I’m paralyzed by the news of this new law. It could take away my independence, which is terrifying.
  As an artist who’s worked for decades contributing to all the NYC is, I struggled for years with financial hardships, due to disabilities, most of my years not having healthcare, and never fully recovering from the financial crisis. The only thing that kept me from falling off the cliff was creating a beautiful experience with decor and hospitality using Airbnb. Only one person at a time, creatives from all over, rave about the special connection and experience they have staying in my home. Having breakfast together, sightseeing, sharing life experiences.
  Also making me a proud “Superhost” in a true COMMUNITY of sharing. Not just sharing my home, but life experience.
  The finance I make just barely keeps me hanging on, but it keeps me hanging on. Without it I will, and many other New Yorkers that worked to make this city so special, will be doomed.
  And, I’m specifically speaking about New Yorkers with have one (or two) guests at a time, in private or shared rooms. We are hanging on because of Airbnb, the new law for most, we would fall through the cracks.

  Please see the difference between a creative sharing community, fueled by love and humanity, and corporate greed.

  We, who share, are the ❤️ of New York

  Please stop this

  Comment added January 10, 2023 10:58pm

• Shakespeaer vs Klossner

  Oh, sweet New York City, where short-term rentals doth thrive
  A boon to both resident and traveler, they do keep alive

  For those who call this metropolis home, a chance to earn
  By renting out their spare rooms or dwellings, they do not yearn

  And for the visitor, a chance to stay in comfort and in style
  Away from the cold and sterile hotel, to live life like a local for awhile

  Short-term rentals doth bring new life to communities
  With tourism and jobs, it’s economy does it rejuvenates

  Critics may say ’tis a scourge, that it drives up cost and displaces
  But without it, many would be left without a roof over their head in these harsh places

  No, short-term rentals are not a curse, but a blessing in disguise
  A vital component of the city’s housing and economy, it forever shall rise.

  But lo, despite the benefits that short-term rentals do bring
  There are those who would see them suffer, and let them fling
  Their venom in the form of laws, that do impede
  The growth of short-term rentals, and give hotels the lead

  These politicians, swayed by bribes, from hotel owners so sly
  Would see the little guy lose out, and let the rich guy get by
  The Office of Special Enforcement, a tool in their deceit
  With unjust laws, they aim to crush the competition with their sleight

  But the voice of the people shall not be silenced so
  For the truth of the matter, shall surely come to show
  That short-term rentals bring prosperity to all
  For both hosts and guests, it is a worthy call

  So let us not be swayed by the deceit of the few
  But instead, fight for what is fair, and for what is true
  For short-term rentals are a vital part of this great city
  And we must do all we can to protect their ability

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:14am

• Anani Fleur

  If you follow through with this new short term rental rule you will destroy tourism in NYC. Today’s tourists are staying for weeks and months and are looking for convenient and comfortable places to stay. They want kitchens. They want free parking. Some visitors want to stay near their families in the boroughs (not in Manhattan) where there are fewer hotels. Also, many lower and middle income families need to supplement their income by renting rooms and apts for short term rentals (their families stay in the units when they aren’t doing short term rentals so the unit would not be available for long term rental: by depriving these families of income you are forcing them to sell and move out of the city). Sometimes a landlord who normally rents to a long term tenant can not find a new tenant in the middle of the winter and needs to do a short term rental until spring when the rental season picks up. This unit would be empty until spring and the landlord might lose the building since they won’t have the income to cover their mortgage. The new rules NYC is proposing will hurt a lot of people, including the hotels and restaurants. With fewer short term private unit rentals available, fewer tourists will come to NYC. Restaurants and hotels will close. Tourist sites will suffer. Tourists will not stay at hotels that don’t have kitchens in the units. Those hotels without kitchens in the units should convert to homeless SRO housing so the buildings are not vacant.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:28am

• Rabbi Gideon Pachner-Tulbowitz

  My dearest esteemed members of the community,

  I write to you today to express my fervent support for short-term rentals within our beloved city of New York. Short-term rentals provide a way for residents to earn extra income by renting out their homes, apartments, or even just a room, and for travelers, an affordable housing option that allows them to truly experience the city and all it has to offer.

  The Talmud teaches us that “the one who supports a poor person, it is as if he saved an entire world” (Baba Bathra 9a). Short-term rentals provide a means of support for not only individuals, but also for local communities through tourism and jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries.

  And let us not forget the Talmudic principle of “The world endures on account of those who make it a delight for guests” (Avot 4:1), it is our moral obligation to ensure the comfort and well-being of those who visit our city. Short-term rentals offer a unique and authentic travel experience, providing a true taste of the city and a sense of community for all.

  Furthermore, the Talmud teaches that it is not only a mitzvah, a commandment from Torah, but also a moral obligation, to teach and share the knowledge of one’s culture and tradition with others, regardless of their background or status. This can be interpreted as an encouragement to teach one’s culture to foreigners. Short term rentals are a key opportunity to teach visitors from other cultures and countries about the life of new yorkers, in a way that sterile hotels removed from our neighborhoods cannot do.

  As the Talmud says “One who welcomes guests is as though he welcomes the Shechinah – the divine presence” (Avot D’Rabbi Natan 34). Welcoming guests is considered a mitzvah, a commandment from the Torah. And the Talmud further teaches ” whoever does not have guests is not a proper person” (Shabbat 127b) . Short-term rentals allow us to fulfill this mitzvah of welcoming guests into our homes and our city.

  In addition to the economic and social benefits that short-term rentals bring to our community, it also allows for the fundamental freedom of use in one’s own home. The Talmud teaches us that “one’s home is his fortress” (Bava Metzia 42a) and that we must protect the rights of the homeowner, one has the right to enjoy his property (Bava Metzia, 58b). In this case, short-term rentals provide homeowners with the ability to make use of their property as they see fit. It allows them to earn extra income, and it also allows them to decide on how they want to use their own property. This is in line with the Talmudic principle of autonomy and personal responsibility (Pirkei Avot 2:5).

  In summary, the right to use one’s own property is an essential principle that is upheld by our teachings. The Talmud emphasizes the importance of autonomy, personal responsibility, and the protection of property rights, which are all principles that are upheld by short-term rentals. Furthermore, welcoming guests is considered a mitzvah, which short-term rentals allow us to fulfill. Thus, it is our moral obligation to support and protect this option for our community members.

  I urge you to consider the benefits that short-term rentals bring to our community and to support them as a vital component of the city’s economy and housing landscape, as well as the fulfillment of our religious obligations.

  Sincerely,
  Rabbi Gideon Pachner-Tulbowitz Shlishi

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:39am

• Rotman's Fables

  Once upon a time, in a big city called New York, there lived a group of hardworking people known as the New Yorkers. They lived in small apartments, each with a comfortable bed, a warm kitchen and a cozy living room. They were happy to have a roof over their heads, but they struggled to make ends meet.

  One day, an idea came to them. They decided to open their apartments to travelers, who were looking for a place to rest while they explored the city. They called it short-term rentals. At first, the city officials were against the idea, they feared it would lead to chaos, disorder and a housing shortage. But the New Yorkers assured them that they would keep their rentals in good order and that it was a way for them to earn a fair income and not contribute to a housing shortage as they were only renting out their property for a short period of time.

  The travelers were delighted to find these cozy apartments, which were much more affordable than staying in a hotel. The New Yorkers were able to make enough money to pay their bills and even save a little. The travelers in return, were able to experience the city and its people from a different perspective and had a more authentic experience.

  As the years passed, the city officials realized that the New Yorkers were right. The short-term rentals brought more tourists to the city, which helped the local economy and created jobs. They also realized that the New Yorkers were not just renting out their apartments, but also sharing their culture, their way of life and their hospitality with the travelers, which was a positive thing.

  The moral of this story is that when we open our homes to others, we not only help ourselves but also others, and it can lead to a better society for all, without having negative impact on the housing market.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:16am

• John

  My wife and I have a 2-family home in the South Bronx with a mix of long-term tenants and 2 rooms on Airbnb. We used to have all long-term tenants prior to Covid, but when Covid started, almost all of the long-term tenants stopped paying rent. After tenants eventually moved out after months of not paying rent (1 tenant hasn’t paid rent in over 1 year and still owes us over 1 year of back-rent), we started Airbnbing rooms in our house. If it wasn’t for the guaranteed payments from Airbnb, we wouldn’t be able to afford the lovely house that we live in. Airbnb has been saving us financially since the pandemic when our long-term tenants stopped paying. Multiple times and multiple long-term tenants have also been late paying their rent, but Airbnb has saved us when the mortgage and bills were due because we actually get paid through Airbnb.

  Without Airbnb, we couldn’t afford to keep our house and would have to evict our long-term tenants who pay late or haven’t paid in months.
  Our previous long-term tenants that stopped paying rent and then eventually moved out, also cost us an additional $25,000 in repairs and renovation due to the damage they caused to the bathroom, shower, and bedroom hardwood floors, and also they caused a mouse infestation by leaving food out and being dirty. The non-paying tenants trashed our bathroom, dented and scratched our floors, and moved out leaving a living room and bedroom full of trash and their belongings that we had to put in trash bags to throw out. With Airbnb, we
  keep our place cleaner by having our house cleaned by a local cleaning person each time a tenant moves out every month. When 1 of the guests damaged our bedframe and furniture, we were able to be reimbursed by Airbnb to resolve the damage. The $25k of damage caused by the long-term tenants came out of our own finances.

  During the pandemic, the city was begging nurses and doctors from other states or countries to help out. Airbnb opened its doors and we hosted multiple nurses and doctors. Some of our best short-term and now a long-term tenant were traveling nurses, doctors doing residencies, and doctor/nurse students.

  The short-term tenants also brings business to our South Bronx neighborhood, from the bodega and grocery store and the local restaurants. There are no hotels in the S Bronx, and without Airbnb, there will be no place for people to find short-term affordable rent, which is what we are able to provide. Why would these new rules be enacted on 2-3-family buildings? It makes no sense, please reconnect with the city and come up with a more fair rule that allows small-time landlords to still survive in this expensive city.

  This law is a blanket solution that punishes homeowners and small-sized landlords. Going after a few thousand 2-3-family houses in NYC will not solve your affordable housing crisis, but it will hurt young families trying to make ends meet when living in a city with rising grocery and daycare costs.

  Thank you,
  John

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:34am

• N Kia

  NYC is getting worse,You want me to stop airbnb then you dont want tenant to pay rent who is gonna pay my mortgage?
  Your tenant friendly law absolutely gurbage Tenant should immediately leave the property if they cant pay the rent.If city want them to live in my property for free city should pay for my mortgage.

  I am okay with long turm tenant.Scared if they dont pay rent then i have to go to court and it will take years to kick them out with court permission.in the min time i am paying for there rent utilities and of course they will damage my property.i see hundreds of tenant do that.I work in construction company in apartment buildings.Please do it right you cant let me buy the cake but dont let me eat that.
  God bless America

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:52am

• Jose M Jim

  I own a barber shop in Bushwick/ Bedstuy area and one of my client told me about this hearing. I cant believe city is attacking STR which has a big positive impact around this neighborhood for the last 10-12 years. 1/4 of my walk in new clients are staying in Airbnb in the hood around when i talked to them and this is about my %3-5 revenue of a year. There are no hotels around and where these visitors/ tourists are going to stay? Clearly not here any more. This will affect us badly like me and many other small business owners where we can barely pay our bills and rents in this most expensive city. All Corporations raising the prices up like Amazon, Uber etc why you are blaming Airbnb? There was a housing shortage when i first moved in to Brooklyn in 2007 before market crash and I looked for an apt almost 9 months. This wont work sorry and this is ridiculous, such a shame on who is proposing this bill.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:08am

• Miriam

  This is not fair. I have a large family and this helps me cover my monthly expenses. It also brings business to the neighborhood and provides others with means to cover their expenses. People come to visit family, and they would not have where to stay otherwise. There is no decent hotel in the neighborhood. This makes no sense, please come up with a more fair new rule.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:22am

• Francesa J

  As a Crown Heights resident, I adamantly oppose these absurd rules. They discriminate against homeowners in neighborhoods with fewer hotel options. And they discriminate against tourists as well, many of whom want to stay in actual homes with kitchens and other facilities that make their stay more comfortable and enjoyable. Or perhaps they are visiting people in Brooklyn and want to be close to them. Or perhaps they just don’t want to be in Manhattan for whatever reason. And very likely they don’t want to give over their personal information to the city. Airbnb is a benefit to them and makes NYC a more attractive place to visit. Also, it keeps the city more affordable for all types of visitors. As well, it benefits local small businesses in those neighborhoods like mine where a guest is more likely to spend their money. Many of my guests have commented that they had never been to Crown Heights before and really enjoyed getting to know the neighborhood. Also, large groups who want to all stay under one roof in a homey atmosphere cannot do that in a hotel. It is serious government over-reach into people’s lives and privacy to try and tell them what they can and cannot do with their own homes and to know who they have stay there. It also seems to be an obvious kow-tow to the hotel industry. There is no other explanation for these ridiculous rules. Do the right thing and let people continue to rent out their homes to whom they want, when they want, and for how long they want.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 7:03am

• christopher watler

  The rules as proposed are burdensome on home owners and should be amended as follows:
  -the application fee should be capped at $25 by statute and there should be no fee for renewals.
  -renewals should be required no less than every five years not two years. The agency should required to send a notice of renewal to customers.
  -renewal applications should be simplified and not require a full application if the ownership is the same and there are no material changes.
  –
  – The presumption should be that the application will be approved. The agency should approve applications within 10 business days. If they fail to do this the application will be auto approved unless the agency comes forth with reasons why it should be denied within 20 days after auto approval. In these instances any booking that is advertised during will be allowed to proceed. If after 30 business days the agency has not responded the application is fully approved.
  – The requirement to list all occupants of a dwelling is an invasion of privacy and shoumd be removed. The is no compelling interest for the agency to have this information.
  -the requirement to provide floor plans for the space to be rented should be removed. The dept of buildings should have registrations for all properties and info on thoses properties. The is no compelling state/city interest in having owners provide renderings of spaces. The short term rental websites provide pictures and have systems of ratings to protect renters that works well enough. The city lack the expertise to do this.
  -the requiremrnt to provide the uniform
  – under section 21-03.3 , items e, f,g,h,i should be removed. the city already knows the building type and info. The city receive property registration info and have the owner names.
  – If a tenant is doing the short term rental all requirements to prove tenacy shoumd be eliminated except provision of a lease or a letter from the landlord/owner or landlord/owner attestation acknowledging the tenant of record and agreeing to the rental.

  –

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:10am

• Keishera James

  I do short term rental with my 1.5 bedroom rental, in crown heights, because one it’s too expensive to cover the rent alone these days, everything is over priced, the guest that comes to stay in my flat with me are mostly grandmother’s moms visiting there children who just have a new baby, who don’t have enough space to accommodate them and they just want to be close by, or other family members visiting loved ones who don’t want to stay too far, I share my apartment and we both feel comfortable, we help each other out. New York City use to be affordable and now rent is so high the average person can’t afford to pay rent and live and have quality of life. I feel it’s ridiculous to me monitoring or take this opportunity away from regularly people who are not abusing the system and is trying to make a way for them selves with like minded people. I don’t believe I am taking money away from the hotel business because there aren’t any nice hotels near where I live.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:34am

• Christopher Williams

  Why is the city always trying to make things hard for new york home owners. We work hard just to make it day to day in this expensive city. Many of us who do airbnb do it to avoid the extreme hassle of renting out our spaces. I know people who have had to sell homes because the city take forever to get nonpaying tenants out of your home. Besides having affordable short-term rentals brings revenue to New York. The tourism here is more than hotels here can accommodate for, so airbnbers pick up the slack. So a little grace should be given because it helps all of us.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:34am

• S Deiro

  Go back to the drawing board. This law is a disgrace! The “office of special enforcement” should focus on people renting out multiple units or turning entire buildings into illegal hotels. People like me with one airbnb that I own and rent occasionally should be left alone and allowed to make a little bit of money to survive this god-awful, overpriced city that is now running rampant with crime and theft. I should not have to jump through impossible hoops and insane bureaucracy designed to eliminate short term rentals and small people from making any money. Is this New York or North Korea? Quit protecting the goddamn hotels, and protect the little people who actually live in this city and overpay in taxes!!!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:34am

• Byron K Darden

  It would be detrimental to New Yorkers and anyone in the nation, for that matter, to release the addresses of short term rentals to the public. These are private residences and not public spaces (guests by invitation only). As such, these citizen’s would potentially be harassed and Airbnb’s commitment to safety, by maintaining address anonymity until a booking is confirmed, as part of the vetting process, would be lost. By maintaining anonymity until the booking is confirmed, guests can now be held responsible for any infraction because they are “in the system” because of the confirmed booking.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:48am

• Milo Lopez

  We bought a 2-family brownstone in Bed Stuy in 2014 because we knew we could rent the bottom unit and help cover our mortgage. We initially found two young college graduates who rented for 6 months and then moved out without telling us. It was a horrible story because we had to throw their stuff out after we couldn’t get ahold of them. We spent 13 months with no rent, trying to find the renters, cleaning out the mess they left and trying to recoup our money that we had to pay out of our pockets. We never got it back.
  After that, my wife and I regretted moving to Bed Stuy. We had bills piling up until my wife suggested we try Airbnb. I was skeptical at first but agreed to try it once. It was great. We got paid and didn’t have to worry about tracking down renters for rent. We also got to be more selective, allowing tourists who had prior reviews. We don’t want to ever go back to that situation in 2014 and 2015 of renting to strangers. It’s a horrible experience. I’d rather sell our home and move to Long Island. This short term rental law will do nothing to slow our housing shortage. It’s only going to hurt Brooklyn as fewer tourists spend their money here. Short term rentals are not going to help. It’s only going to hurt New Yorkers.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:01am

• Angel Marinez

  Hi everyone. I’m just here to say I am in favor of Local Law 18 and to ask the city to please stop the spread of tourist rentals into outer boroughs. The way Airbnb is being used in this city is just for rich people to get richer, and for poor people to get poorer. Airbnb is a nightmare for locals because it encourages parties all night long in residential areas. Tourists leave trash, they don’t clean up after themselves. It’s not only annoying to have to put up with this all the time, but it also means that it’s financially harder to live in areas with so many tourists. I encourage the city to act now and act quickly to take care of this problem before it gets worse.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:06am

• Kuber Puri

  Thank you to the Office of Special Enforcement for holding this hearing. Here’s what I don’t understand. We already have a housing crisis in this city. There are more than 100,000 homeless New Yorkers. You can ask anybody who lives here and they will tell you. The homeless crisis is out of control. You see it on the streets, you see it everywhere. The city is failing these people who need housing. So why would we allow empty housing units to be used to by tourists instead of by the many, many, families who need those places to live? Is it just because of the money that landlords stand to make? Is it just because of greed? If that’s the case, I’m very disappointed my my city officials. Let’s invest in the New Yorkers who already live here before we spend resources we don’t have on visitors. Thank you.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:08am

• Kadir Ozbek

  I am a regular Airbnb guest in NYC. I am hearing from several hosts that these registration requirements are very elaborate and unnecessary which will force them to discontinue their Airbnb listings.
  This will effect local NYC economy as the hotel prices are prohibitive for several travelers like myself. We will be forced to find other Cities with more friendly Airbnb regulations.
  I strongly suggest the council reconsiders these requirements and hears Airbnb Hosts’ concerns before making this the Law.
  Thank you.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:09am

• Maria Castillo

  Local Law 18 needs to be enforced ASAP. It’s time to crack down on landlords who are eating up our housing, bringing outsiders here to disrupt our neighborhoods. I know a lot of people make a living off of Airbnb and if there’s a small and controlled number of rentals, that won’t impact our city too much. But it’s ridiculous that a corporation is trying to keep the city from enforcing a law it already passed! Office of Special Enforcement, it’s time you listen to the voices of actual New Yorkers. Don’t bend to corporate will!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:11am

• Sandra Litardo

  I am very concerned about the future of our city. There are lots of places in this country that operate entirely on a tourist economy. Obviously New York City is an exciting destination and we have a strong tourist industry here, but we also have residents in this city that we need to protect. The number of people leaving this city to live in Long Island, or New Jersey, or upstate is just shocking. This is not the same city that we know- it doesn’t feel safe like it used to, and it gets more and more expensive every year. This is for a lot of reasons, but one of the most important and easy ways we can protect residents is by limiting the number of airb&bs rented out in residential areas.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:13am

• Rachel Hart

  The City states they are trying to increase available housing, and decrease the number of Airbnb units to accomplish this. City officials estimate that “over 10,000 illegal short-term rentals will be delisted”.

  The City is neglecting the main factors that are contributing to increased rent, and decreased available housing:
  – According to TheCity.NYC, NYC had over 83,830 vacant rent stabilized apartments in 2021. This is because there is NO method or incentive to rent out a rent out Vacated stabilized apartments by the building owner.
  – NYC has countless residential condo buildings with 50-90% vacancies due to investors buying multiple residences without the intent to live in them. In fact, according to The Atlantic estimates approximately 50% condos brought to the market in the past 5 years are vacant.
  – Finally, luxury apartment rental buildings manipulate the market by listing only a few of their available apartments in order to artificially decrease supply so they can demand a higher price.

  The city is engaging in a hotel lobby influenced attack on small businesses and middle-class New Yorkers, rather than trying to address the root problems. The city council is attacking the smallest businesses that lack economic capacity. I ask the council today, what effect will 10,000 apartments make in the market when hundreds of thousands of apartments are vacant.

  Finally, Airbnb fills a required niche in the market. Hotel rooms are incapable of serving guests who have dietary restrictions and force NYC visitors to eat out during each meal during their stay. Airbnb offers a place for visitors who have diseases such as diabetes, Celiac’s or food allergies, to have a place to cook a meal while visiting the city. Without Airbnb, visitors and family would be required to book a “suite” at the Langham for $1,000 per night in order to have a kitchen.

  I ask the council to enact common sense regulations that can work for all parties involved. With these drastic and unnecessary measures, NYC will end up like the city of Las Vegas, embroiled in an expensive lawsuit to enact common sense regulations.

  If the council is unwilling or unable to enact common sense legislation that works for all New Yorkers, I call upon my airbnb brothers and sisters to unite into a union which would enable us to demand a voice at the bargaining table.

  Thank you for your time.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:17am

• James Vandiver

  The current law, as I have understood it, allows for short-term rentals in circumstances where the “owner is present.” In the host-guest relationship it is reasonable for a host to want to provide the most privacy possible to a series of guests. It is unclear, from an enforcement perspective, the parameters that are allowable for affording the privacy that a host can offer a guest. These conditions need to be clearly articulated so that each host can know in advance if their specific layout configuration would be deemed as acceptable to enforcement authorities. I have found rumors online, but no official advice about the level of privacy that can be afforded to a guest in a shared apartment’s physical configuration. New rules need to consider this articulation as a necessary guidance for all involved parties.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:26am

• Alan Siege

  I am writing to say that I oppose the enactment of Local law 18. I do not see the need for this registration process to go forward. I feel it is intrusive is being set up not to help people who need housing, but just to monitor people who are hosts in Airbnb while there may be some few examples of inappropriate posts regarding their guests, the vast majority of people who do it doing it to help themselves and their families by generating additional and very needed income. I hope you will consider this comment and the mini others that I knew you were getting and do not pass local law 18.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:33am

• Dave

  The proposed law as currently written is a one-size-fits-all solution to a nuanced problem which is being caused primarily by larger rental businesses operating multiple short-term listings in NYC. The current language of Local Law 18 is a blunt instrument that will cause upheaval and stress for individual homeowners, when the real target should be larger operators who are competing with hotels. Local law 18 is unbalanced and must be modified before adoption.

  Even former New York City Council member Ben Kallos, who championed the initial law, acknowledged in a recent Fox5 interview, “this is really going after people who have more than one place”. According to the story, more than half of NYC’s inventory listed on Airbnb are from hosts with multiple listings. The spirit of the law was intended to go after egregious offenders, in extreme cases a single “host” having 400 listings. However the interpretation of this law as currently written by the Office of Special Enforcement makes no distinction between these scofflaws and individual homeowners with a single listing who are just trying to make ends meet. The Fox5 report has it right: https://youtu.be/GANfW00rFx

  New York City’s ever-present housing issues will not be solved by government overreach and overzealous enforcement. Stopping short term rentals will not add low income housing to the city’s insufficient inventory. A recent study found that most hosts would make more revenue from full-term rentals, so presumably have other reasons for choosing short term as their preferred rental approach. Preventing these hosts from renting out short term will not likely add these units back to the full time housing inventory.
  While few would disagree there should be enforcement against flagrant violations of the NYC multiple dwelling law by large rental businesses, hurting individual homeowners should not be part of the solution.

  Short term rentals provide small homeowners and local businesses with crucial income needed to make ends meet. They offer affordable options to bring tourists and visitors into communities with limited hotel supply. Hosts provide curated recommendations for local restaurants and businesses, and offer accommodations with multiple bedrooms and kitchens that are not available or affordable with traditional hotels. Short term rentals are used by visiting doctors and nurses as well as visiting professionals on extended visits for business who want to live in a home, not a hotel. The supplemental income helps homeowners pay mortgages, bolsters the local economy and provides jobs for maintenance staff.

  Many small homeowners choose to offer their extra rental unit as short term instead of long term based on preference and their individual circumstances. Many have extended family who use their unit part of the year, so can’t commit to long term leases that would prevent family or friends from visiting. Some hosts are filling a need in communities with insufficient hotel inventory, and welcome visiting tourists or those visiting nearby families. Eliminating short term rentals will hurt struggling homeowners, put homes at risk and add pressure to local businesses trying to compete with online retailers. The hotel lobby should not be allowed to dictate the cost of tourism and limit affordable options to those who want to visit our city.

  The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement needs to course correct before adopting these restrictions. Local law 18 must not be implemented as currently written. There needs to be a distinction between individual homeowners with a unit in owner-occupied buildings from large scale commercial rental businesses with multiple listings. Large scale rental businesses have a disproportionate impact on NYC housing supply and are in direct competition with hotels. Individual homeowners should be allowed to rent their unit in owner-occupied buildings without the restrictions currently proposed by local law 18. The registration requirement could help to distinguish these groups from each other, but the penalties and rules should focus on how many listings a host maintains in order to differentiate individual homeowners from large scale rental businesses. Other aspects of the proposed law, such as a limitation to two guests and prohibition on internal keyed locks, are arbitrary and would impinge on the safety of future hosts. Sharing names and residency status of all building residents is an infringement on individual privacy rights.

  Individual homeowners with a listing in an owner-occupied building are not in the same category as commercial landlords operating large scale rental business. The proposed restrictions on all short term rentals would have a disproportionate impact on individual homeowners compared to large scale commercial businesses who control multiple listings. Undermining the ability of individual homeowners to rent property based on their needs is an imbalanced infringement upon owners’ rights, discourages home ownership, and represents a slippery slope towards government overreach. Prohibiting short term rentals would severely impact homeowners’ ability to meet financial obligations and continue to live in the city. It would limit income spent on local businesses and crucial revenue that visitors bring to local communities. These new measures are unfair to homeowners and extremely unbalanced in favor of hotels. Balanced legislation must differentiate between individual homeowners with owner-occupied listings and large scale rental businesses.

  I believe we can find a better solution that doesn’t hurt small homeowners while protecting against those who are skirting the laws and adding to the city’s housing problems.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:45am

• Alani Cahir

  We should be allowed to AirBnb our personal apts for unhosted stays if we own the building and are out of town for a few days, a week, or a month or two. Tourists are looking for private rentals with kitchens, not just shares, and definitely not hotel rooms. If you don’t allow private short term rentals for certain cases you will destroy tourism in NYC. They won’t stay at expensive hotels that don’t have kitchens or allow pets, kids, etc., especially if the hotel is in Manhattan and they want to be in one of the other boroughs that don’t have good hotels (with kitchens).

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:54am

• cee

  Tried getting onto meeting– having trouble, so here are my comments:

  Nearly impossible for any lay person to understand the rules as defined in the current proposed law Local Law 18 Chapters 31 & 32 of Title 26 and Title 43 of the rules of NYC.

  Therefore, my comments and questions regarding Short-term Rentals -registration which is a MUST- and basic information as to who is entitled to using their buildings/homes for this purpose is as follows:

  What kind of monitoring and enforcement will you make against tenants who are college students who lend out their apartments to renters during holiday/summer recess with or without the landlord’s approval? This is a constant occurrence in buildings near universities (NYU and Columbia University, to name just two).

  And what of the landlord who rents out apartments, formerly rent-stabilized, to students for eight to ten months; then for the remaining months, rents out to visiting tourists?

  I have constantly seen the flow of strangers into and out of my building. These days, there is no way to know who belongs here and who doesn’t.

  Can’t sit out and take pics cause landlord will accuse me of stalking.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:59am

• Sam Brown

  If you want to solve the lack of affordable housing, try this: turn all large unused buildings and hotels into privately run SROs and apts, sell them for $1 to normal people (or to a non profit but definitely not to a government agency) with the proviso that they rent to people and families with vouchers, the city provides a police presence in the buildings, tenants are required to provide all normal documentation for renting an apt as well as the voucher documentation, require tenants to take yearly “good tenant behavior” classes, all adult tenants must be on the lease, the lease will clarify good behaviors, including keeping the apt and appliances clean, no drug selling/usage, etc. A path to easy eviction for bad acting tenants must be provided. Buildings can classify as “non smoking, non vaping, must recycle or be easily evicted” and family only, woman only, male only, etc. I would be willing to run such a building in Brooklyn if you provide me with the building. All building and unit renovations must be paid for by the city, within 3 months of a request. Tenants must pay for their own utilities (electric, TV, internet, etc.). The building would be electric only. Affordable internet such as NYC Mesh Wireless could be available if the building were in a good location. No property tax would be charged to the owner of such a building. The city/state would pay for the property insurance. Do you have such a building in Brooklyn that you can sell me for $1? This will solve your housing crisis. For now, landlords don’t want to rent units to misbehaving tenants who crowd unauthorized people into apts, who smoke, vape, don’t clean, don’t recycle, sell drugs, etc. for the small vouchered rents that don’t cover the costs of building upkeep, unit renovations, public utilities and increasing property taxes and insurance. Also property insurance carriers won’t cover you if you rent to vouchered tenants. You need to provide property insurance for any building set up to rent to vouchered tenants. So, sell me the building for $1, pay for renovations/property taxes/property insurance, and I will run it for you. I keep the rents to cover my time, public area utilities, and small repairs. Providing this type of opportunity will solve your housing crisis. Selling abandoned buildings to developers who build luxury housing will not solve the problem.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:41am

• Margaret

  This law is an overreach particularly for citizens who own their own homes and are hosting guests. A rental or apartment building has the ability to instate their own rules about whether or not tenants can sublease and whether or not STRs are allowed. Even a co-op or condo where individuals own units can have rules that cover everyone. But a family renting out a room in their single family home or even town house has NO impact whatsoever on the housing crisis.
  Charging fees when the reason why a family would even resort to this in the first place is to help with bills is unjustifiable and a sheer money grab on homeowners who are already over stretched in this economy and in this city. You are hurting those who are currently finding a way to survive here yet doing nothing to solve the problem. This is lip service to those in need and nothing more.
  If I don’t rent my spare room (which is what the government is essentially seeking to put an end to), that room doesn’t suddenly come on the market as housing for the homeless. That isn’t suddenly a space for a family to move into. It just means my budget is that much tighter and those who WOULD come to NYC and pay for a small room rather than an expensive hotel are no longer coming because they can’t afford $300 a night hotel rooms (there aren’t even any besides seedy motels in my neighborhood). But they could have afforded that room and spent money in the local small businesses that surround my home.
  You are hurting homeowners and local business with this law.
  You know you aren’t actually helping anyone. The lip service may help you win votes amongst those who want to point the finger at anyone and everyone, but this is damaging to a lot of families who are just trying to get by. It’s cruel and honestly doesn’t even seem legal when it’s none of the government’s business what guests I have in my own home.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:44am

• Ed Triana

  Short term rentals in my 2-family unit apartment has greatly helped me to stay and live in NYC. It has also helped to offer stays for families visiting their relatives in the neighborhood. It provides additional income for our cleaning lady, and it bring business to the neighborhood as we point our guests to our favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and cultural activities nearby. Without it, we will be in a more difficult situation keeping up with NYC expenses and we might be forced to leave. And with us the jobs and business we bring to other people in the neighborhood. We understand the need to regulate abusers of the system, and we support that, but not at the expense of good players like us. Please revise the measures to be established. Thank you

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:48am

• Marjorie Byers

  We have been Airbnb hosts in East Harlem for 7 years. Our private room and bath rents for $100 per night.
  At a time when the city is desperately looking for revenue, it is short sighted to make airbnbs less attractive to both hosts and guests.
  1. Proposed regulations would decrease the total number of tourists to NYC. Low cost lodging makes NYC AFFORDABLE TO TOURISTS. Without this option many tourists could not come and spend their travel dollars on NYC theater, shopping, restaurants. They would go elsewhere.
  Let’s see a study on this before we kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
  2. Legitimize AIRBNB AND COLLECT TAXES.
  3. SHUT DOWN AIRBNBS THAT ARE LEGITIMATE HOUSING USED FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS
  Thank you

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:59am

• Everol Bell

  My being an Airbnb super host has helped me immensely to pay my bills , effect repairs to my property and hold on to this property . Any attempt to curtail or stop retired Airbnb hosts like myself will not be welcomed by my peers , and will be seen as an attempt to appease hotel interests . I am too old to put up with the antics of regular tenants it has gotten dangerous and I cannot handle that anymore.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:10am

• Pat Cato

  Dear Sirs,
  My family moved to Downtown Brooklyn, in the mid-seventies; we have been a part of this community for almost 50 years. As long-term residents, we are very much interested in the growth and development of Brooklyn and New York City as a whole. We have seen the evidence that short-term rentals contribute to the growth of our local economy thereby benefiting our community. For example, short-term guests support the local businesses such as shops, restaurants, laundromats, dry cleaners, car service, entertainment activities and many other businesses.
  My sister and I are currently retired and my brother is fast approaching retirement age. As such, we are counting on the rental revenues from our home to help cover our living expenses in retirement. We are therefore requesting a more evenhanded approach to the new short-term rental laws in New York City. By adapting such an approach, the City will ensure that all stakeholders in the short-term rental arena will thrive and continue contribute to our City’s growth.
  Please be assured that if we are allowed to rent out a portion of our home, we intend to be fully transparent with regard to revenue collection and payment of taxes.
  Sincerely,
  Pat Cato

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:19am

• Nathaniel David Adolphe

  I’ve just started hosting in the middle of last year since I started working from home, and my parents left the country leaving the house to me. This Airbnb is the only way I can pay bills on time without stretching myself thin. I am in a prime area with no hotels, access to most transportation and near downtown Brooklyn. What right do you have to claim my success and pull out the rug right after I’ve gotten solid footing? It’s the conscious choice to bleed your residents dry knowing we just found a way to survive and support ourselves in this expensive suffocating city after the hell that was/is the pandemic. We already compete with other host and their prices, so instead of lowering hotel prices or finding another way your just going to “tax” aka steal money “legally” from small business you had no part in creating managing or financing? We all took a hit these past three years that don’t give u the right to exploit us. Be better.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:24am

• Andrew Tider

  My wife and I are middle-class New Yorkers who strive to contribute to the city. She has worked at the Whitney Museum for 10 years, and I worked at a tech company that helped bring money back to local stores until last spring when I was let go. We have a 2-family house in Brooklyn. Renting out the first floor on AirBnb is *critical* to helping us make our mortgage payments so we can stay in the city and raise our two girls, who attend local public schools.

  Why is there no space in this proposed law for families like ours, who are in compliance with the current law, to continue to AirBnb as we have been until now? The law breakers like MetroButler are not following the current spirit of the law, and therefore should be stopped – but individual owners like ourselves are not the problem. Please consider this and amend the proposed law to include a carve out for people who own one 2-family home and live in one unit while renting out the other unit on AirBnb.

  We are exemplary hosts and love sharing our neighborhood (Ditmas Park) with new people. They patronize our local stores and are friendly with our neighbors. There are very few hotels in our area, so we also feel we are helping the city by welcoming tourists who might otherwise not visit the area.

  Please consider a carve out for people who own one 2-family house and live in one of the units while Airbnb’ing the other.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:56am

• Chris Bacon

  Hotels list their rooms on AirBnb. Here is an example with over 200 reviews (to show people do, in fact book them): https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/46658757?check_in=2023-02-03&check_out=2023-02-05&guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=36ec5a30-3569-4ff1-9fd4-605e8e60a477

  If hotels are permitted to compete with homeowners on these STR platforms, why are homeowners not being permitted to compete with the hotels?

  This feels antithetical to free markets.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:21pm

• Mark

  You’ll own nothing an be happy

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:45pm

• Michael Endacott

  Owner occupied buildings, whether individual apartments, single or multi-family houses should be exempted from Regulation 18 or any inspection/enforcement by OSE.

  City Council members who either authored or voted for this bill have given interviews where they say small scale hosts (per above owner occupier description) should be exempt. Why is there an apparent disconnect between OSE and these Councillors?

  Comment added January 11, 2023 12:53pm

• Darin Dunn

  Airbnb is has been a big help to a great many people in NYC. Most if not all involved with this opportunity use this to supplement their income to make ends meet. This has been a godsend with the high cost of living in NY. Making a condition like this sounds political and those who have AIRBNBS will be the collateral damage in this scenario. With the economic climate being what it is today, enacting this would prove devastating to a lot good people.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:02pm

• Brian

  This is going way to far. This needs to be re-evaluated. I rented a room in Clinton Hill BK and it was a life changing experience. I’ve also stayed at many other airbnb’s short term. It’s such a valuable resource for folks like myself looking for flexible. There’s no reason a home owner with an extra room or unit should be restricted from renting it out to someone looking! Keep NYC vibrant and supportive for visitors who want the flexibility short term airbnbs provide!!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:11pm

• Cliff Katz

  I am not against the City of New York requiring short term rentals to be registered and have to collect taxes. It could be a good thing for the safety of our guests and the city coffers. This could be a win win for both our guests and the city.
  My fear is that this is the first step in eliminating budding business which is in competition for guests with the Hotel Industry.
  The red herring excuse that the short term rental business is a major contributor to the lack of affordable housing in the city, holds no water. The reason behind the cities affordable housing shortage is more complex than just the short term guests market. For if these apartments/rooms should be taken off the short term rental market , they would go on the regular housing market at today’s market prices. In a city where the average two head of household income is,$80,000.00 and the average two bedroom apartment is $3500.00 per month , there is no evidence that these apartments would increase the cities affordable housing crisis.
  Therefore I am for bringing market standards to this budding industry not eliminating it.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:12pm

• Russell M

  I am writing to express my objection to the proposed NYC Short Term Rental Registration Law, as written. I am not opposed to all provisions of the law, but strongly feel that 1 and 2 family homes should be exempted. So many people running these “micro-businesses” will be profoundly negatively impacted by the law, and these owners of small private residences do not seem to be the cause of the problem the city is trying to target. I understand wanting to curtail bad actors who run a large number of units across the city, or are operating their short-term rentals in rent-controlled apartments or in violation of the leases they have signed. On the other hand, short-term rentals of units within privately owned small homes by the owners offer many opportunities to the owners of those buildings and the communities most of those buildings are in (which usually do not have respectable hotels available to guests wanting to visit those neighborhoods). Short term rentals in 1-2 family homes:

  – provide the opportunity for a small homeowner to earn extra income in times of need
  – allow the homeowner to have more say over how their property is used and when; it also allows them to reserve space for family/friends and earn income when not needed
  – provide opportunities for guests to visit neighborhoods they may otherwise not have access to; many of my guests are visiting local family and friends in my no-hotel neighborhood in Queens
  – provide a more affordable way for families with children to visit NYC, particularly where having access to a kitchen allows them to reduce travel expenses
  – having guests in my community drives business to small businesses, cafes and restaurants in the area that have struggled during and after COVID

  In my own circumstance, the consequences of this proposed rule will be extremely harmful to me and have no benefit to the city. If I am not able to short-term rent the second unit in my home, I do not plan on offering it to a full-time resident, and I think many others are in my same position. I will reserve it for use by family and friends, and perhaps try to earn what I can (which will be far less) through corporate 30+ day rentals. This will also have a profoundly negative effect on my cleaner, who is already a low-income woman but earns approximately $5000 per year cleaning my unit; that important income for her will unfortunately disappear. Moreover, I believe whereas AirBnB has proved to be a reliable partner and I have had nothing but good experiences with them and my guests (who they take responsibility for screening), I may be forced to find less reputable organizations to partner with on these 30+ day rentals.

  There are enough abusers of the system to pursue without going after small homeowners. Please reconsider imposing these hurtful, harmful, counterproductive new rules.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:15pm

• IR

  I just spoke with Mr. Hart at Councilwoman Ung’s office just now. He indicates their offices were not made aware of today’s hearing.

  I had a similar call with Carlina Rivera’s office this morning.

  I am surprised the OSE did not feel it was appropriate to let all city council members know about today’s hearing.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:21pm

• IR

  I was disappointed to see that Council Member Erik Bottcher dropped off the call the moment his testimony was complete. How can you represent your constituents if you do not bother to stay and hear their feedback?

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:35pm

• IR

  How do people dialed in to todays hearing by phone who do not have a name listed raise their hand or confirm their presence? Mr. Klossner seems to be having challenges finding speakers and many may be dialed in and unable to express interest in testifying or respond to their name being called.

  This failure was pointed out during and after the 12/5 hearing, and unfortunately the commentary was ignored by Mr. Klossner and the OSE. It is disappointing that Mr. Klosser has made no attempt to resolve this issue.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:37pm

• IR

  Council Member Moya’s office states they were not made ware of today’s hearing. How did the OSE determine who to notify and invite to speak?

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:41pm

• L Stark

  I am extremely sympathetic to the problem of affordable housing in NYC, and to the quality of life issues short-term rentals create in large multi-unit buildings. I fully support the city establishing and enforcing sensible rules around short-term rentals. However, I strongly feel that there should be different standards for short-term rentals in owner-occupied 2- and 3-family buildings; these represent a smaller proportion of housing stock and avoid the pitfalls of unsupervised absentee landlords.

  We have been renting out portions of our home to short-term tenants since before Airbnb existed, and it has been an excellent way to make ends meet while also providing us with extra space for visiting family. We are a family of five living in a 2-bedroom apartment, and we rent out the second unit of our house on Airbnb. For many weeks every year, we are able to use the second unit for our own visiting family members and friends—something that would be impossible if we had a longer-term tenant in our second unit.

  Many of the guests who stay with us are specifically coming to visit our Queens neighborhood, where there are no nearby hotels, to see friends and family. We also host many families, for whom a unit with a kitchen is much more practical than a hotel setting. They all enjoy having an entire apartment at their disposal, with an on-site host to provide them with information and assistance as they navigate the city.

  I would love to not have to operate our rental in a legal gray area, but to register with the city and pay appropriate hotel taxes. Our rental, and the many others in owner-occupied small buildings in NYC, meet the needs both of our family and of our guests, without negatively impacting our neighborhood. I ask the OSE to craft or enforce the rules such that these kinds of buildings are protected.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:47pm

• Jurawa H

  Airbnb has the power to transform the way we travel and to change the lives of the people who use it. For hosts, Airbnb represents a unique opportunity to open their homes and share their neighborhoods with visitors from around the world. It provides them with the ability to earn extra income, which can be life-changing for those struggling to make ends meet in high-cost cities like New York.

  For guests, Airbnb offers an authentic and affordable way to experience the city like a local. Instead of staying in a sterile hotel room, guests can rent a private room or entire home, which allows them to fully immerse themselves in the local culture and way of life. This type of travel helps to promote understanding and connection between people of different backgrounds and experiences.

  Airbnb also helps to promote sustainable travel by encouraging guests to stay in existing homes and neighborhoods, instead of building new hotels that are harmful to the environment.

  And finally, when hosts open their homes to guests, they are not only creating economic opportunities for themselves, but also for the local businesses, by bringing new customers to the area.

  Allowing Airbnb in New York City would not only bring tangible economic benefits, but also an emotional sense of community and connection between people from all over the world. It is a powerful tool for creating a more inclusive and welcoming city for all.

  And of course it’s important to remember that the city can can should implement regulations to mitigate any negative impacts on the housing stock or quality of life for residents. But these must be designed in a more thoughtful way than this current proposal.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:50pm

• Inga Baum

  We are renting our room so we can afford the rent and no forced to leave the place we lived for many years. I’m disabled and my son is a college student. The rent for our place is $2600 (which is a great Covid deal), our last electric bill was $900 per month!!!! The food prices are skyrocketing. Airbnb is the only lifeline to stay afloat. We can hardly survive and you are killing this option. We help the guest who can’t afford hotels, we help local businesses. Would you rather see our family on the streets getting millions of dollars in tax moneys for hospital bills like most homeless people get? Or working hard and making a proud living? Our guests are vetted and respectful. The young people renting apartments in the building are partying and drinking. So how are we the problem to the neighbors?? Eliminate people who rent multiple apartments as a business. Not people like us.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 1:57pm

• russell steinberg

  this is a crushing blow. especially in today’s economy. group sourcing is the way forward. are you protecting corporations or people?

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:02pm

• Simon Hotchkin

  We should be able to do what we want with our single homes. We should promote a free market economy. Is this North Korea/Cuba or New York City? I have one airbnb I own and should be allowed to do as I wish with the property. If I had 20+ listings then you would have a point. I am not running a crazy hotel with rotating doors and parties. I rent responsibly by vetting all guests, monitor my guests, and only rent for periods of a week or longer. I provide a higher standard of safety arguably than a normal hotel in Manhattan. Please focus on more important things going in NYC than a little person like me making money and running their BUSINESS.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:18pm

• Farhana Chowdhury

  I have been hosting for almost 5 years and the experience has been wonderful. The apartments stay clean because my cleaner cleans all apartments after every guest check out. Tourists are coming and spending money on our local stores and in our communities. There is no negativity to it. On the downside I did used to do a long term rental and I lost thousands and thousands of dollars by the tenants not paying rent

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:24pm

• IR

  Rasha at Council Member Nantasha Williams office indicates their offices were not notified of this hearing and as a result could not participate. It is concerning as Mr. Klossner and the OSE seem to not be interested in the city coucil’s feedback on their proposed rules.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:31pm

• Mary

  I sat through a 6 hour meeting in December and I’m doing the same today.

  Every politician speaks and then IMMEDIATELY LOGS OFF.

  Last one who did it was Deborah Glick from district 66.

  Who are these ppl representing if they are unwilling to even listen to us??

  This is SHAMEFUL

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:32pm

• Shanda Chapman

  I am a full time state Corrections officer that has a two family home in Brooklyn. Renting out my home without locks on the doors is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Even in a house with family you know locks provide privacy. To suggest a law that would require doors be unlocked is Absurd. And as an officer I would not feel safe. Of course my short term rental provides revenue for the many stores and restaurants in the neighborhood but I’m sure the city doesn’t care about those businesses owners either. So my plea is safety. Safety is my career and I need it to be apart of my life. Please change or update the oppose rule to include locks on doors.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 2:40pm

• Lynn

  I am an Airbnb host as well as a regular Airbnb guest. I live in Queens in a two family home that I own.

  Local Law 18 and the proposed rules/regulations are completely eliminating Short Term Rentals in NYC that are more than a room in a shared apartment. Small homeowners were told not to worry about this law and its rules because the law was going after large landlords with lots of illegal listings and the bad actors. However, the law as it’s being implemented and enforced does not exempt 1, 2 or 3 family homes and is cracking down on small homeowners as if they are the bad actors that spurred action for the law’s creation.

  The law and its associated rules had good intentions but were poorly written and implemented and I’m disappointed to see most Council Members don’t understand their own law and its rules as they repeatedly say this is not preventing home sharing. YES IT IS. I can no longer go away for the weekend and rent out my apartment. I can no longer go away for a 3 week vacation and rent my apartment. Now the only way I can rent my place for additional income is if I am at home and sharing my apartment with my guests (no more than 2) with no locks on any of my doors. It’s simply outrageous and draconian. It doesn’t make sense unless you look at it as a gift to the hotel lobby. No more Airbnb rentals means a boon for hotels and big business at the expense of small homeowners.

  The law and its regulations could have been written in a way to prevent the bad actors and deal with negative issues of Airbnb. Instead NYC is using a hammer instead of a scalpel and eliminating everyone.

  The majority of my guests are family and friends that live in my neighborhood. Not only are you hurting small homeowners for the benefit of the hotel lobby and big business but all New Yorkers that live in communities that need places for loved ones to stay when they come to visit.

  Many neighborhoods in NYC don’t have hotels and want family/friends to stay nearby. NYC is very expensive and people don’t have the ability to rent an apartment with an extra bedroom simply to accommodate visitors. Airbnb allows NYC residents to have visitors come and stay both affordably and nearby. Hotels are not accommodating for larger families with needs like a kitchen or laundry. They are not only unaffordable but are not in many of the communities in NYC.

  When my family comes into town, I utilize Airbnb so they can stay nearby and not a 30-40 minute commute. My sibling has 2 children and only 2 hotel rooms can accommodate his family which is simply unaffordable for him. The only way he can visit me is through Airbnb. So not only do I live in the most unaffordable city in the U.S., New York City is now making is so it’s unaffordable for my family to come visit me.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 3:06pm

• IR

  Jonathan at Council Member Lynn Schullman’s office indicates they were not notified of this hearing.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 3:14pm

• Daniel A

  Hello My name is Dan. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
  I have read the proposal and although I would still be able to host like I do, I feel very strongly against these changes. I am going to now list those reasons.

  1. First and foremost, it adds further burden on our already stretched government. Home sharing brings much societal and economic, it sickens me we’re looking for ways to regulate it and reduce it when instead we should look to grow it. It’s not clear to me what issue we are solving by introducing such stringent regulations and a process that feels not far off from getting your driver’s license. Government priorities should remain focused and not stray to such punitive topics like home sharing. If it’s housing affordability, this won’t solve it, let the economics and market demand play out naturally without gov’t intervention. Housing affordability will always be an issue in any successful city. It’s a sign of a great economy.
  2. Adds a fee to hosts who are playing by the rules. If there’s any fee, it should be under $10, and be a onetime payment.
  3. The cost of managing these regulations will be passed onto government, taxpayers and hosts, making this City a more expensive to live and visit. Little by little NYC will further lose its competitiveness among cities to visit. Even if the costs are covered by fines, it seems such a waste of energy for government.
  4. Registration will add a burdensome barrier for hosts. The most impacted will likely be the underserved, elderly NYers who are not savvy with computers, nor comfortable with stringent govt registration processes requesting forms and diagrams and high upfront fees. All this reducing the number of hosts and the free ambassadors we are for NYC. Fewer listings will drive up the cost of visiting NYC and we’ll lose out on the valuable foreign currency that’s goes directly into the hands of regular NYers and their nearby local business. We’ll go back to model where the foreign money almost goes entirely into the hotel chains and box stores of Midtown.
  5. We’ll lose out on diversity and block young peoples’ dreams of coming to NYC through higher accommodation costs.
  6. NYers will loose out of the social benefit of mingling with strangers and improving the social fabric of our society.

  7. The application process askes for the following items which seem unnecessary:
  a. f. information about all occupants of the dwelling unit
  b. i. The month and year the applicant began residing in the dwelling unit;
  c. detailed lease information.
  d. A renewal after 2 years
  e. 7 years or records
  f. Type of dwelling unit – Govt’ can refence this by address.
  8. Much of what I listed can be forged, we should not be burdening govt and civilians with an expensive and painful registration process. Instead, let’s place the responsibility of the property owner to ensure the dwelling is being used according to the law. When issues arise then penalties can be passed on by a citation, which is our system for almost all other rules in society – not a registration process.

  Please please please don’t or slow down the economics and social benefit of the sharing economy with this burdensome process.
  Please remember we are humans each time govt propose these unnecessary processes everyday citizens roll their eyes in frustration.

  Thank you

  Comment added January 11, 2023 3:41pm

• IR

  Council Member Lincoln Restler’s office indicates they were not notified about today’s hearing.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 3:48pm

• IR

  Ms Colon at Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez’s office indicates their offices were not invited to this hearing and were not even made aware the proposed rules were ready for review.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 3:53pm

• Kelly

  I am the lease holder in my apartment for 6 plus years. I live in the apartment, and I have two spare bedrooms I rent short term on Airbnb. Without hosting, I would not be able to afford the rent on my own. I do not run my hosting like a hotel, as I live in the unit. I provide a valuable service, as many of my guests are either in between housing or lease, and just need short term accommodations. Others are looking to move to NYC and want to live in the neighborhood to get a feel for it before signing a lease somewhere. My local economy benefits by all the food, nightlife and shopping my guests do in the area. Your proposed rule changes are biased against people who live in the apartment and share their homes not as a business but as a means of paying their rent. I am starting my own company right now, and if I’d have to take on another job to cover my rent it would be detrimental to the start up of my business. Please rethink these plans and the consequences they have for long term home sharers.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 4:01pm

• IR

  Taiquan Coleman at Council Member Rita Joseph’s office indicates the council member and her staff were not made aware of today’s hearing. They were also not made aware of the 12/5 hearing. They indicate they’ll be following up with the OSE and Mayor’s office to find out why they were not notified.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 4:29pm

• IR

  Council Member Farah Louis’ office indicates they were not invited or made aware of today’s hearing by anyone at the Mayor’s office or the Mayor’s office of special enforcement.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 4:53pm

• IR

  Council Member Mercedes Narcisse’s office indicates they were not notified of the hearing or invited to review the proposed rules.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 4:56pm

• Ella

  I was very surprised to hear that NYC is proposing a bill that’s against people who visit the city for a shorter time and doesn’t have the budget to stay in expensive hotels.
  I’ve only had good experience with staying in short-term rentals, it helped explore areas in the city I would never normally get to – also, if you are new to the city and would like to decide which area to move to permanently, I can’t think of a better way than trying out short-term rentals in different neighborhoods for a couple of weeks. Hotels are not the best option for every people, there is a need to use a kitchen, cook, with bigger family it is more convenient to stay in a bigger apartment other than booking several hotel rooms for a huge amount of money – people have the need of feeling home in a city they are new to.
  These rentals also a huge help for the local businesses too, as they get more new customers with the visitors.
  I really hope that NYC won’t take away this opportunity from it’s visitors!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:05pm

• Izzy Mac

  I spent the better part of my day dialed into this hearing hoping to speak. I even registered in advance. For some reason you only ever call on me once I drop off for obligations at work, or to commute home.

  The hearing does is not genuine. Nobody is listening to the feedback on the rules. Nobody is calling on us to testify. The chat is just a stream of noise.

  I’m tapping out.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:39pm

• Kyeong il Lee

  I met many friends through Airbnb, but also I could get extra income to support my three kids running Airbnb. It is vital source for some families like mine.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:46pm

• Lynsey

  This is going to impact NYC livelihood on such a huge scale. Booking Airbnb’s is so much easier in parts of the city where hotels aren’t close by and it helps support local residents. Please reconsider this!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:54pm

• Ryan

  I love visiting Manhattan and booking an Airbnb where hotels aren’t available and it directly supports local residents. This is such a scary ideology.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 5:57pm

• Rosie

  I am a previous host who is now dealing with a significant loss of income due to the predatory nature of the Office of Special Enforcement. Like so many of us I rented rooms in my home to make ends meet and be able to pay my mortgage. I always tried to abide by the laws and always reported everything I earned to the IRS and paid my due taxes. I provided my guests with safe and secure spaces and did everything I could to maintain a good business but it seems like the city does not care about people like me.
  The excuse is that this law is meant to go after the bad actors, the people with multiple listings and using short term rentals to drive up market and put people in the street but that can’t be furthest from the truth. The truth is that the agency is going after people like me who can’t defend themselves bc we can’t afford big shot lawyers. They are making rules no one can comply with to drive us out and in doing so they are making it so we have to either sell or lose our homes. The irony is some of us are in danger of becoming homeless now. The other lie is that we serve as hotels and only serve the tourists. The truth is many people use short term rentals bc they can’t afford the exorbitant rent prices, they encounter greedy landlords who ask for several months rent and good credit etc. They come to us to get back on their feet and have safe space. We also get freelancers and other workers who live in the city part time and thus could not afford a hotel. Lastly, yes we serve tourists who are traveling on a budget who come here and spend their money and contribute to our economy. Short term rentals are necessary for NY. There are many other ways we can take care of the bad actors and fix the housing problem. For starters we can tax all the empty real estate bought by foreigners that could be used to house people. We can regulate the hotel industry and contribute to a system that can benefit homeowners and tenants as well. No one is arguing we should let bad actors continue but what we are asking if for us to maintain our livelihood, our dignity and our homes.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 6:26pm

• Rachel G

  I’ve been listening to the hearing all day and there is a common theme. Homeowners are scarred by having zero protection from tenant failure to pay, while still having to pay elevated property taxes, elevated utility bills, and forced to house and heat people for free throughout the pandemic and beyond. If the city really wants to fix the housing shortage on the backs of small time homeowners, they must provide protections to the homeowners. Most of the people on the hearing today are now terrified of renting to permanent tenants. This doesn’t even apply to me, I have a good tenant, and I do a STR with a basement that isn’t even permanent housing. But, you just can not ignore what you’ve heard today! Almost every single homeowner has had a bad experience with a tenant!

  Comment added January 11, 2023 6:58pm

• David

  I am a social worker in a family with children homeless shelter in the Bronx. I have come to meet so many homeless individuals and families in my work. I have also had the privilege of people serving people who were on the brink of homelessness. Short-term AirBnB rentals are instrumental in preventing increase in homelessness and poverty. Many AirBnB hosts need the income to maintain their monthly mortgage payments. People needing to safely leave domestic violence situations have opportunities to afford being able to stay somewhere temporarily without having to resort to DV shelter or to PATH which would cost the city a lot of money. There are many homeless individuals and families that have a source of income (via employment, SSI, Social Security) that can afford short-term stays while they try to get back on their feet. Not all potentially homeless people end up in shelters. This law will result in increase of poverty and homelessness and in the end the city will spend millions more. This law effectively outlawning AirBNB short-term rentals should be repealed.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 7:09pm

• Keith

  Thank you for holding a second hearing on this matter. It gives me hope the City and OSE will reevaluate their position and come up with a more sensible option. I’ve done some research since the last meeting and learned many interesting things.

  According to Inside Airbnb, there are about 40,000 airbnb’s in NYC. Of those, only 11,300 are active and rent short term, meaning they’ve rented their space in the past year. So, when OSE estimates over 10,000 listings will be closed by Local Law 18 it means almost all airbnb’s. Of those 11,300 only 7,000 are full time listings, meaning they are rented at least six months out of the year. 4,200 are entire homes and 2,800 are shared spaces. So, when OSE talks about adding housing to the City that would be the maximum gain, 4,200 units and 2,800 rooms. That’s what this is about, 7,000 listings that are active and full time renting short term. That might sound like a big number until one realizes there are more than 3.6 million homes in NYC, called housing stock. Airbnb’s represent less than 1% of housing stock, less than one quarter of 1%. A very, very small percent. Airbnb’s are barely a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of housing stock in a City.

  To think eliminating airbnb’s will increase housing stock or create more affordable housing is a fool’s mistake. There are major studies that show airbnb’s are not responsible for higher rent prices. In fact, when comparing the amount of money brought into the City’s economy compared to any small increase in rent prices, airbnb is a net gain for the City and its residents.

  It is the City’s policies that are responsible for higher rent prices. For over a 100 years the City has tried to limit how much rent could be increased. It is a failed policy, it hasn’t worked, rents are still too high. New York City has the highest rent and is the most expensive place to live in the county. In fact, there are now more than 60,000 “affordable” housing units that are vacant. Landlords are refusing to rent them out under the City’s policies. It’s simple supply and demand, if you want to lower rents get those units back on the free market.

  Additionally, since 2017 the City has added more than 175,000 new units to the housing stock. The fastest growth of housing stock in the City’s history. All during a time when the City’s population is declining. Last year New York ranked 47 out of 50 states in population decline and 12% of the City’s millionaires moved out, severely affecting the amount of taxes collected. People have clearly had enough of the over regulation and are fleeing as fast as possible. We don’t have a housing crisis in this City, we have a policy crisis. The City needs to get its knee off of our necks, allow the free market to work. You will get better results.

  The airbnb model is far superior to the City’s policies. Under the City’s model, certain units are classified as hotels while others are affordable housing and others are free market rent. This creates a ton of waste. For example, hotels are built for maximum occupancy during peak travel season, the rest of the year they sit half empty. The airbnb model is flexible and maximizes occupancy to meet current demand. During the pandemic, when travel was restricted many hosts took in traveling nurses and people working remotely who stayed weeks or months at a time. After the pandemic when everyone wanted to travel, hosts shifted to accommodate the influx of travelers the hotels didn’t have room for. Now, there is a travel recession and many hosts are transferring to longer term rentals. Of course with 60,000 of the City’s nurses on strike we might see an influx of traveling nurses again. But, whatever it is, airbnb hosts are prepared. With the airbnb model, the problem fixes itself. If you want to maximize housing stock, expand airbnb, get as many of them as you can. The free market will work out the usage and prices for all will be reduced.

  It’s really just simple economics and I’ve worked in finance for more than 20 years, I’m certainly qualified to speak on the subject. If you really wanted to get rid of airbnb’s you’d allow everyone to do it, you’d flood the market with airbnb’s. If every apartment in NYC was an airbnb there wouldn’t be enough guests to sustain it. The over saturation would cause prices to drop and hosts wouldn’t make enough money to be sustainable and would be discouraged from it. Obviously, the market can only allow for so many airbnb’s and it’s the policies trying to restrict it that are making it more profitable and desirable to hosts. Likewise, by eliminating airbnb, hotels will raise prices and it will discourage even more tourists from visiting our City. It’s the same for the 60,000 affordable housing units that are off the market. Get rid of the affordable housing policy, get those units back on the market, it will reduce rents for everyone. If you think adding 7,000 units to the market will help bring down rents, imagine what 60,000 could do. If you get rid of these policies, rents will come down, tourism will increase, and the City and its residents will prosper.

  From 2009 to 2019, because of Airbnb, tourism in NYC doubled. In 2019, tourism was responsible for adding approximately $67.5 billion dollars to the NYC economy, when calculated directly and indirectly, making up over 10% of the City’s economy. One third of which went to hospitality workers, stores and restaurants, and other personnel supporting the tourism industry which are mostly comprised of lower income minorities. If Local Law 18 is passed, that is gone instantly. We go back to 2009 and half our tourism dollars, $34 billion dollars comes out of the City’s economy. The shops, restaurants, and bodegas in the outer boroughs that wouldn’t normally receive tourism dollars will all lose out and this directly affects lower income persons and minorities the most. The question is, why would the City want to eliminate all this tourism when Airbnb has such a miniscule impact on housing and is responsible for so much growth in the City. Why would they want to go back to 2009. Why would they want to reduce tourism and take $34 billion dollars out of our economy.

  There are 125,000 hotel rooms in New York City. They might see 7,000 airbnb units as a threat, it’s 5% of their business. As a result, the Hotel Industry has donated millions of dollars to the Mayor’s campaign. OSE works under direction of the Mayor, using taxpayer dollars for the benefit of the hotel industry and detriment of the citizens and residents of New York City. OSE is attempting to use Local Law 18 to shut down legally operating Airbnb’s to benefit the Hotel Industry.

  OSE seems to be taking the position that all entire unit Airbnb’s are illegal. This is not true, it’s not what the law says. OSE seems to be taking the position that all shared listings must have the host present at all times and cannot have interior door locks. This is not true, it is not what the law says. OSE has been waging a war of misinformation to accomplish their goal of eliminating all airbnb’s. OSE is attempting to pass Local Law 18 to circumnavigate the law. There are no assurances OSE will issue a license number to legally operating Airbnb’s so they can advertise their units. You could be operating legally under the law, you could even win in court, but Local Law 18 leaves OSE the power to decide if you are granted a number to operate.

  The purpose of Local Law 18 is for OSE to become the ultimate authority on what is a legal short term rental. They want full and unfettered power beyond the law and beyond the courts to decide what is legal and what is not, and who can advertise and conduct business and who can not. If LL 18 is passed, it will allow OSE to operate outside of the law, it will eliminate checks and balances, and make them the ultimate authority.

  For example, under OSE misguided interpretation of the law, a unit is not shared unless each person has access to all areas of the unit. They conclude that having interior door locks might preclude one person from accessing an area in the unit and thereby making it not shared. The definition in the dictionary of “share” is having a portion of something with another or others. It is possible for a common household to have interior door locks. The law does not require each person to have access to the whole. The example the dictionary gives is sharing a pie. I consume a piece and you consume a separate piece of a whole. OSE’s interpretation defies the laws of physics. We can’t both consume all the pieces. We could share a bed, I take one side and you take the other. A door lock doesn’t stop us from sharing a bathroom, I go first and you go next. Under OSE’s interpretation we would both have to sit on the toilet at the same time.

  The safety issue doesn’t come from hosting guests. Airbnb was founded on trust. I trust a guest in my home and they trust the unit is as advertised when the rent. But what if an intruder comes in. Most people would run into a bedroom or bathroom, lock the door and call 911. The extra moments gained by the locked door could be the difference between life and death. Likewise, if I want an intimate moment in the bedroom and kids live in the house I might lock the door. It doesn’t mean I don’t share my bedroom with my kids or we don’t live in a common household, I just don’t want them walking in at an inappropriate time. But OSE doesn’t care, in reality I could just provide someone a key to interior locks, these are merely deterrents for them to accomplish a larger goal, to eliminate competition to benefit the hotel industry.

  In truth there is no reason for registration, OSE already receives all the information they need directly from Airbnb. If Local Law 18 is passed, it will have an outsized and disappropriate effect on lower income persons, minorities, the elderly, LGBT persons, and persons of domestic violence. We’ve already heard from so many hosts who rent on Airbnb just so they can afford to stay in their homes, many who are minorities or elderly. Airbnb’s are generally priced lower than hotels and afford lower income persons the opportunity to travel to our City that otherwise wouldn’t. Housekeepers and others in the tourist industry, mostly those who are lower income and minorities will suffer. Additionally, Local Law 18 requires hosts to list the full names of all persons living in their household. Those in the LGBT community who may be living with a partner would be forced to out themselves. There are laws to protect persons of domestic violence that are being ignored and listing full names and addresses could reveal their location. There are basic safety measures Local Law 18 does not address such as making maps of people’s homes public.Should I give you the combination to my safe deposit box too, or is that not allowed because it’s locked and the guest doesn’t have access to it. What about a licensed firearm, I don’t have one but should those not be locked either.

  Additionally, a consequence of Local Law 18 will be higher crime in the City. Local Law 18 will significantly reduce tourism and income to the City’s residence. The net effect will hurt our economy. We all know when the economy suffers, crime increases. I’m old enough to have lived in the City in the late 70’s and early 80’s with the crime and drug use and graffiti. I remember the City being hours away from bankruptcy only to be bailed out at the 11th hour. We’ve come such a long way https://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/osdc/tourism-industry-new-york-citysince then but the policies the City is trying to enact are going to take us back there again. Your intentions might be good, but they are misguided. In short, enacting Local Law 18 hurts our City in so many ways, and it’s all being done so hotels can charge an extra couple of bucks and increase their profits.

  Airbnb states come from Insideairbnb.com. There are filters you can click on for different configurations. Tourism stats came from NYC.gov somewhere on their site. Studies showing airbnb does not increase rent prices are very detailed. One is from a teacher at UPenn I think that did the study for Harvard, the other was one airbnb sponsored.

  Sources and studies

  https://www.nycgo.com/company-information/about-us/tourism-advocacy

  https://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/osdc/tourism-industry-new-york-city

  http://insideairbnb.com/new-york-city/

  https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/media-files/2020-11/Sophie_CalderWang_Prez_Housing_Center.pdf

  Comment attachment
  KNS-LL18.pdf

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:04pm

• IR

  Since I was not allowed to testify on today’s call, here is my written testimony:

  Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I have spoken before, so I will not take up your time speaking about the importance of short term rental to the city or why I rent. You can read my past comments.

  I would however like to express my concerns about the recent hearing on short-term rental regulations and the proposed rules that were discussed. While I understand the importance of implementing such regulations, I believe that the current approach has several flaws that need to be addressed.

  Firstly, I believe that the hearing was not properly advertised. I have spoken with many members of the press who were not aware of the hearing until I personally reached out to them. The city’s rule-making process requires the media to be notified, and it is concerning that this was not done in this case.

  Additionally, I have spoken with the offices of all 51 city council members in the past two days, and the vast majority were not aware of the hearing and were concerned that they were not invited. The poor management of the hearing also meant that over seven hours of testimony were wasted on technical difficulties with the WebEX platform and on OSE staff learning how to use it. Furthermore, the elected officials that did attend the hearing did not bother to listen to testimony, but instead delivered monologues before leaving.

  Regarding the proposed rules themselves, I understand that the law is the law and must be implemented. However, the manner of implementation is at the discretion of Mr. Klossner. The lack of transparency from the Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) has resulted in many assumptions being made about the implementation, as there has been no documentation or APIs provided to owners, residents, or platforms. Additionally, there have been no mock-ups of the user interface, no quality assurance, and no testing. The lack of transparency has resulted in a lack of trust in the process.

  It is entirely within the discretion of Mr. Klossner and the OSE to not vilify 1-2 family home owners and primary residents. However, given that Mr. Kallos, Gale Brewer, and Helen Rosenthal have previously reassured small homeowners that they would not be impacted, it is concerning that the registration system is going against their statements. Mr. Kallos specifically stated that homeowners would be able to rent their entire homes, not just a room, and that the regulations were aimed at large companies and abusers. He repeated this statement on Fox5 news as recently as December: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GANfW00rFx8

  Unfortunately the way you have decided to interpret the MDL, building codes, etc; I doubt any host will actually get approved to list.

  The registration system also raises concerns about privacy as it requires owners to provide information about every member of their household, including minors, and inquires about the nature of relationships which the city has no right to pry into. Do you really care every time one of us breaks up with our girlfriend/boyfriend?

  Furthermore, the registration system requires a fee of $145 upfront with no guarantee of approval, and approvals are left to the discretion of individual examiners. This is both too vague and a large fee for some homeowners.

  Finally, I believe that if we are going to implement these regulations with such a strict approach, we should first address the current MDL and local building codes to make them relevant for 2023 before requiring registration.

  As for the housing crisis, it is concerning that NYC currently has over 88,000 vacant units that are not being used to address the affordable housing crisis. Furthermore, entire home listings on platforms like Airbnb account for less than 0.7% of listings. You are focusing on the wrong problem.

  I understand that some may consider me a “profiteer” for renting out a room in my home on Airbnb. However, if I were truly a profiteer, I would rent my rooms long-term as it would be more profitable. The fact is, I need my home for personal use and for my family members who visit regularly. Renting out long term is not an option.

  I respectfully ask that you reconsider the current approach and address the flaws in the proposed rules, fix your hearing process, and work with legislators to propose laws that will actually improve availability of affordable housing in our city.

  Thank you for your time.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:12pm

• CityLimits.org

  The following story was published by CityLimits.org on Jan 11th and was written by David Summers.

  Originally published at: https://citylimits.org/2023/01/11/opinion-citys-new-rules-on-short-term-rentals-will-hurt-small-homeowners/
  ==

  Opinion: City’s New Rules on Short Term Rentals Will Hurt Small Homeowners
  By David Summers.
  Published January 11, 2023
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  “Undermining the ability of individual homeowners to rent property based on their needs is an imbalanced infringement upon owners’ rights, discourages home ownership, and represents a slippery slope towards government overreach. Prohibiting short term rentals would severely impact homeowners’ ability to meet financial obligations and continue to live in the city.”

  A view of the Manhattan skyline and the East River.
  Adi TalwarAn evening view of Manhattan over the East River.
  CityViews are readers’ opinions, not those of City Limits. Add your voice today!
  On Wednesday, the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) will conduct a second and potentially final public hearing to solicit input about Local Law 18. This new law requires short-term rental hosts to register with the city and prohibits booking services from processing transactions for unregistered listings. Local Law 18 would severely curtail short term rentals in New York City, and makes no distinction between individual homeowners with a rental unit in an owner-occupied building and larger rental businesses who have converted entire buildings into de facto hotels.

  The proposed law as currently written is a one-size-fits-all solution to a nuanced problem which is being caused by larger rental businesses operating multiple short-term listings in New York City. The current language of Local Law 18 is a blunt instrument that will cause upheaval and stress for individual homeowners, when the real target should be larger operators who are competing with the powerful hotel lobby. Local law 18 is unbalanced and must be modified before adoption. This is the last opportunity for the community to speak up in defense of small homeowners and hard working families from being unfairly penalized for the violations of larger rental businesses.

  Former New York City Councilmember Ben Kallos, who championed the initial law, acknowledged in a recent Fox5 interview, “this is really going after people who have more than one place.” According to the story, more than half of the city’s inventory listed on Airbnb are from hosts with multiple listings. The spirit of the law was intended to go after egregious offenders, in extreme cases a single “host” having 400 listings. However the interpretation of this law as currently written by the Office of Special Enforcement makes no distinction between these scofflaws and individual homeowners with a single listing who are just trying to make ends meet. The Fox5 report has it right.

  New York City’s ever present housing issues will not be solved by government overreach and overzealous enforcement. Stopping short term rentals will not add low income housing to the city’s insufficient inventory. New housing development needs a much more significant surge to offset the lack of housing for the city’s growing population. In December 2022 Mayor Adams announced a “moonshot” effort to promote new development. His “Get Stuff Built” initiative plans to address New York City’s housing shortage by accelerating the pace of development, with a goal of 500,000 new homes over the next decade.

  By contrast, the implementation of Local Law 18 is projected to remove approximately 10,000 short term rental units from the city’s current inventory. The two efforts are on completely different levels. While few would disagree there should be enforcement of flagrant violations of the New York City multiple dwelling law by large rental businesses, hurting individual homeowners should not be part of the solution.

  Short term rentals provide small homeowners and local businesses with crucial income needed to make ends meet. They offer affordable options to bring tourists and visitors into communities with limited hotel supply. Hosts provide curated recommendations for local restaurants and businesses, and offer accommodations with multiple bedrooms and kitchens that are not available or affordable with traditional hotels. Short term rentals are used by visiting doctors and nurses as well as visiting professionals on extended visits for business who want to live in a home, not a hotel. The supplemental income helps homeowners pay mortgages, bolsters the local economy and provides jobs for maintenance staff.

  Many small homeowners choose to offer their extra rental unit as short term instead of long term based on preference and their individual circumstances. Many have extended family who use their unit part of the year, so can’t commit to long term leases that would prevent family or friends from visiting. Some hosts are filling a need in communities with insufficient hotel inventory, and welcome visiting tourists or those visiting nearby families. Eliminating short term rentals will hurt struggling homeowners, put homes at risk and add pressure to local businesses trying to compete with online retailers. The hotel lobby should not be allowed to dictate the cost of tourism and limit affordable options to those who want to visit our city.

  The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement needs to course correct. Local Law 18 must not be implemented as currently written. There must be a distinction between individual homeowners with a unit in owner-occupied buildings from large scale commercial rental businesses with multiple listings. Large scale rental businesses have a disproportionate impact on New York City housing supply and are in direct competition with hotels. Individual homeowners should be allowed to rent their unit in owner-occupied buildings without the restrictions currently proposed by Local Law 18. The registration requirement could help to distinguish these groups from each other, but the penalties and rules should focus on how many listings a host maintains in order to differentiate individual homeowners from large scale rental businesses.

  Individual homeowners with a listing in an owner-occupied building are not in the same category as commercial landlords operating large scale rental business. The proposed restrictions on all short term rentals would have a disproportionate impact on individual homeowners compared to large scale commercial businesses who control multiple listings. Undermining the ability of individual homeowners to rent property based on their needs is an imbalanced infringement upon owners’ rights, discourages home ownership, and represents a slippery slope towards government overreach. Prohibiting short term rentals would severely impact homeowners’ ability to meet financial obligations and continue to live in the city. It would limit income spent on local businesses and crucial revenue that visitors bring to local communities. These new measures are unfair to homeowners and extremely unbalanced in favor of hotels. Balanced legislation must differentiate between individual homeowners with owner-occupied listings and large scale rental businesses.

  Concerned citizens should submit written feedback to the OSE and come to the hearing on Jan. 11 to voice their support for individual homeowners with a listing in an owner-occupied building. Together we can find a better solution that doesn’t hurt small homeowners while protecting against those who are skirting the laws and adding to the city’s housing problems.

  David Summers is a homeowner in Brooklyn, and has hosted short term rentals for the past few years. He owns a single building in Park Slope where he resides with his family, and has hosted hundreds of visitors who have given overwhelmingly positive and appreciative reviews of their experience staying in his short term rental unit.

  Comment attachment
  Opinion_-Citys-New-Rules-on-Short-Term-Rentals-Will-Hurt-Small-Homeowners.pdf

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:46pm

• Carol Candela

  I am a NYC resident. When I travel, either within or outside the US, I first check AirBnB listings. I find these listings more affordable and preferable to hotels, and cheaper. Since my vacations are always less than 30 days, these new regulations would seriously impact my ability to travel and spend money on other entertainment at my destination. I am sure this is a common theme and would impact tourism in NYC, as well.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:50pm

• Audra Smith

  Banning these rentals is going to effect nyc in a very bad way. These laws don’t help any of the New York citizens and only help hotels and big business

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:52pm

• Carlos Leon

  Two years ago when looking for an apartment and on a time crunch, it became extremely necessary to find a place swiftly, and thankfully, AirBnB was an option. As finding a new place to live became a huge, rushed burden and an immediate necessity, the luxury of a short-term rental during apartment hunting was a Godsend. I found the current AirBnB I am at and figured it would be a two-week rental that could allow myself time for apartment hunting, and once I got there, it put me at tremendous ease as I was awarded more liberty and time in finding the right place to hang my hat and call home.
  Two weeks turned to two months as I continued the apartment hunt, but the more I searched, the more abundantly clear it became that there was no place that was going to beat the place I was in. My hosts were the landlords of dreams- a family that I instantly bonded with where we developed a relationship that was familial, neighborly, and trusted. The place I was in went from being a lifesaver stay situation to an ideal actual apartment that I am still currently in to this day- and keep in mind; this is all during the pandemic, where the idea of going into a large building was terrifying and dangerous.
  New York isn’t just making a tremendous mistake with this new law- one that puts extreme inconvenience on people during the harshest of times, not to mention intends to crush small businesses, it is also an extremely dangerous law that puts lives at risk during a time in our country where housing is scarce, and in our particular state; living arrangements with trusted cleanliness and upholding CDC standards are fewer and further between. It’s appalling and shocking that as we are not even fully in the clear of this pandemic nightmare, New York would limit housing and stay options in a way that truly puts more people at risk, and on the streets. I’m sure there were plenty of people like myself that during the pandemic quickly sought out better safer options of residency, and it’s astoundingly irresponsible that New York- a state that prided itself on its response of COVID, and the amount of gravitas it took the outbreak with, to pass such a fool-hearty and dangerous law.
  And again, to top it all off, this bill is crushing small business, and denying state residents of the luxury of finding an incredible, safe, and trusted living arrangement in a short amount of time- which is precisely what AirBnB offers. The service is not just for travelers, and probably more often than not used by more local residents looking for a quick fix. Tons of New Yorkers need quick, affordable, short-term living accommodations for a variety of reasons that range from housing problems- perhaps one’s house caught fire, or has plumbing problems- to even victims of domestic abuse who need to quickly get away to a place they can afford. This law is appalling, and a clear indicator that anyone that gets behind it does not care about the residents of New York, and I definitely hope it will not continue.
  Thank you for your time, and I hope New York makes the right decision.

  Comment attachment
  AirBnb.pdf

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:54pm

• Rachel Oliner

  I vehemently oppose this rule to implement Local Law 18. As a hardworking owner of a single family home in Brooklyn, I rely on Airbnb to help make ends meet. This rule takes away the ability of law-abiding people like me to earn a living. Go after the illegal hotels and the Airbnb hosts with 10+ listings, makes sense! But please don’t punish and restrict people like me.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 8:56pm

• Yerddy M Lanfranco

  As a New Yorker that has contributed to this society by becoming a tax abiding citizen, a parent, a full time employee, an entrepreneur and an economist, I just want to say that the system has really failed us, all of here, in so many levels. You have taught us to be resilient, to fight for our values, to become who we want to become right in this city. Today, what I have heard is a lot of despair, injustice, unfairness, and lack of accountability from our elected officials. None of the elected officials have spend the time to hear all of these valuable stories. We are a set of human beings with distinct backgrounds that have unanimously shown how Airbnb has given us purpose when retired, a way to raise children if single parent, and a way to be able to afford caring for our parents and other disable loved ones. It is beyond unfair to come up with a law using unilateral information and not allowing us to provide our inputs and considering the stories behind the 30K+ owners of single- and two-family homes. As a immigrant to NYC I feel betrayed by the system who once told me I could make it in this city. I feel we are all alone, and there is no one looking after the best interest of the working class here in New York City.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:03pm

• Wei Chen

  In conclusion from the hearing and everyone that spoke.

  OSE please amend law and leave 1-2 family owners alone. We are doing what we need to get by with increase home prices, increase rates, increase utility costs.

  Focus your time and man power on individuals who are airbnb in apartment complexes and buildings.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:08pm

• CeCe Jos

  I am a single mother and a low income New Yorker who managed to scrape up some funds and use home buy programs to purchase a home here in NYC. I use Airbnb to help me pay my mortgage as this is the only way I am able to afford to stay in my home. Taking away the short term rental will put a great deal of hardship on me and my family. I don’t see any reason why someone who owns their home should not be able to rent out a portion of it to help them stay out of poverty. NYC is one of the most expensive cities to live in and it’s homeowners need to do something to offset these high mortgage payments and property taxes. I am urging you to restructure these rules as these rules are going to cause a great deal of hardship for homeowners and cause us to potentially lose our homes.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 9:59pm

• Kiki

  Laws that are implemented need someone to enforce them. In 1901, 122 years ago, the Tenement House Act was enacted and the Tenement House Committee, the precursor of the OSE, was formed to enforce it. On its surface, this was a wonderful idea, eliminating the crowded conditions of tenements, stopping the spread of tuberculosis, the pandemic of that time, and preventing deaths due to lack of fire safety regulations. By the 1930s, the THC became the department of buildings, and later on, this department’s employees were funneled into what is now the Office of Special Enforcement. We still see the language of the tenement house act, in the language the OSE and the politicians speaking today use, the claim of fire safety, the claim of preserving housing, the claim of noise and nuisance mitigation. The basis, as a brief aside, for support of the Tenement House Act was the famous book, “How the Other Half Lives,” which is what we now call Poverty P-rn. With its images of immigrants and minorities living in crowded, dirty apartments featured prominently to shock the reader, How the Other Half Lives accomplished the promotion of widespread social awareness. We as speakers, knowingly or not, have continued relying on the government’s adoration of Poverty P-rn during today’s public hearing, where each of us shared, for nine consecutive hours, our “sob stories,” to borrow one speaker’s term, of working multiple jobs, pending foreclosure, being immunocompromised, widowed, and more.

  A strange phenomenon emerged in the early 20th century that the Columbia University professor Saidiya Hartman has documented in her research but that isn’t widespread knowledge. The people the THA was meant to help, were the people the tenement house committee immediately turned against. Over and over again, they arrested and fined the poor, and primarily, african american women. Just like is happening now- speaker Michael just spoke to us and attested that he used to be homeless, but who is the OSE turning against, despite purporting to be protecting this class of citizens? Michael.

  We still have the documentation of african american women arrested in the early 1900s– their charge? “Violating the tenement house act.” But the laws were supposed to help them, they were supposed to let them live in better conditions. Was prison a better condition? Did the prisons have the required means of egress? No.

  Does this history sound familiar to anyone here? Does being punitive against the working class for not having a fire alarm system, a fire sprinkler system, lacking means of egress, sound familiar? To those of us who have been inspected and found “in violation” of the multiple dwelling law, no matter how safe, no matter how clean their space is, this sounds very familiar.
  So ultimately, what did the Tenement House Act accomplish? It set out to create health standards for new construction, but it never did anything to encourage the building of additional housing or limit the rent charged in the tenements. The housing crisis kept growing. For the tenements that were shut down, there was no plan in place on where to house its tenants, just like now, when a vacate order is placed on an airbnb, this happened to a fellow host on this call, there is no plan in place on what to do with the resident. So here we are, 122 years later, still discussing the new york city housing crisis, still misunderstanding its origins. Now it’s local law 18, back then, it was the tenement house act.

  Speaker Sunny said that the city should get out of homeowners’ business. Well, Sunny, the concept of the administrative inspection, sending building inspectors to knock on doors, finds its origin not in Local Law 18 but rather in the Tenement House Act. To ensure compliance, inspectors possessed a right of access at “all reasonable times” and to all parts of the tenement. Our loss of fourth amendment rights was deemed okay in the face of the public health and safety epidemics of the time.

  In 1936, well before Airbnb/Bookings.com/and other short-term rental platforms existed, the City’s Housing Authority issued a report which essentially admitted that the Tenement House Act had failed. A quote directly from this document: “If it were possible to carry on this elimination at the present rate it would take nearly 65 years to rid the city of them. But where will the people go who are now forced to live in them? We are already reaching the point where a severe housing shortage is facing us.” A severe housing shortage. That the tenement house act exacerbated. Back in 1936. What have the legislators who spoke today, or on Dec. 5, been doing for the severe housing shortage that has been plaguing this city for over one hundred years? Nothing.

  What will this regulation cause, if we are to trust history? It will exacerbate the housing shortage.

  122 years of the demonization of poverty, of broad interpretations of the fourth amendment, of laws and building codes that don’t fix our living conditions and worsen our housing crisis. And that history will not end today. I hope one day, in my lifetime, I see that repetition of history end.
  ———————————————————————————
  Speaker Monica brought up African American neighborhoods being impacted here. Aside from the long, racist history of the enforcement of administrative codes, let’s look at who is enforcing these laws right now. Where did Mr. Klossner work prior to the position he holds now? In the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. How many black and minority lives did narcotics departments all across the country find meaningless? A lot made sense when I discovered his former occupation. Why an extreme police presence occurred at my home, the tendency to “gang up” on the airbnb host with groups of inspectors arriving demanding home entry. You can see that law enforcement background in the way Mr. Klossner responded to Fox5 when he was questioned on OSE enforcement: “The law is the law,” he states, as if there’s no nuance, no objectivity.
  Well, fine, but history is history. Questioning whether laws make sense is fundamental to American history and how significant strides were made in guaranteeing civil rights for a number of groups. Put this quote in a different historical context and you see how problematic it is. Laws are changeable. Laws have not always been fair. This is who has been put in charge of enforcing housing related laws. Of course African American neighborhoods will be impacted, Monica. Ultra-strict interpretations of laws with absolutely no background on their history, a history I tried to elucidate a little bit with my comment, have been used to crush minority groups for centuries.”

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:07pm

• Angelica

  As a owner of a cleaning company. it super frustrating see how that law want to take out our opportunities to still working constantly and supporting our families, forcing us to leave the city. after the pandemic everything is been worse, many singles mom, a head of families are just trying to keep their employ

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:25pm

• Elena

  This law unfairly targets small-time homeowners trying to survive in NYC.
  I am a single mom that bought a two-family house in Mott Haven five years ago to be able to save money and build a future for my son. I have single handedly put a lot of work into my house and have become integrated into my community. Initially, I had tenants in my second unit, but they were very problematic, did not take good care of my property and caused me a lot of stress. I decided that I would prefer to rent my place out to people who are vetted and where I have protections in place – something Airbnb has provided me. I would much rather not have to clean the bathroom or change sheets, which I do myself, but it has given me peace of mind and provided help with paying my mortgage. I have had students stay with me all summer doing internships, and I have had families visiting NYC from abroad who wanted to be able to have enough space and to save money by cooking meals at home instead of eating out. I am a Superhost – an accomplishment I am proud of – and have not had any problems with my Airbnb tenants. Mott Haven, as many nearby neighborhoods in the South Bronx, is not somewhere tourists would normally go, but I pride myself on putting it on the map and showing people from out of town the great things about the area. This is bringing money into the community and visibility to the neighborhood. It is also allowing a wider range of people to visit NYC, not just those who can afford $200+ a night hotel rooms for two people.

  I understand that NYC is facing an affordable housing shortage – I have experienced it myself. But one and two family homeowners should not be held responsible for fixing it. We worked hard to try and be able to make a home in this city. We are just trying to get by ourselves.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 10:57pm

• April

  There are flaws in this process 100% that should be rectified such as having people who DO NOT own the property sublet, having these same people make a business out of renting multiple units and subletting, or large buildings abusing the app making hotels out of themselves. Small home owners like myself and many of these voices should not have to defend the right to sublet there home. A 2-3 family home owner should not have a government dictate who they rent to nor how long. Spending tax payer money creating an enforcement to harass homeowners is disgusting. NY you are abusing power trying to enforce laws that are complete socialism. If you want more rental properties available to tenants stop making it so hard for landlords to evict. You’re pushing honest, hard working tax payer out of the state trying to stop us from using Airbnb for short term. People pay the mortgage with this platform. They take great pride in making the apartment homelike and clean. Airbnb does the due diligence by allowing ratings, reviews and super host status. Letting the hotels lobby you just shows how corrupt this state is. The hotels are not Airbnb rentals. Airbnb caters to the people with families who can’t afford 4 rooms at 500+ a night. It helps people like myself with newborns who need a crib and stove to cook meals. It’s so intrusive what you are doing and completely shouldn’t be legal how you are disregarding homeowners rights.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:13pm

• Kent Klindera

  As the owner of a home in BedStuy who occasionally rents out space to families coming to NYC, if we can no longer use Airbnb or other online platforms, we will not be opening our extra space up to long term tenants. We need the space for other purposes from time to time. The extra income allows us to maintain the house in our landmark area. I agree there is abuse by some hosts, but two/three family homes should be exempted from the new law (and only allowed one listing). That seems fair to me.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:46pm

• Dan D.

  My sister is a Bronx Airbnb host. Even though she is always stressing over cleaning for her Airbnb guests and maintaining her 5-star, superhost status, the protection that Airbnb offers her and the ability to do Airbnb has been life changing and overall very positive. Airbnb saved her when she couldn’t find long term tenants during the pandemic. Previously they had all long-term tenants, but they destroyed their space and it cost her over $25,000 to do the repairs. This last year when she had a 4-month Airbnb tenant destroy things, Airbnb reimbursed her for all of the damages. This is important to me because I care about my sister, but also because our father recently got a divorce and subsequently had nowhere to live. Because of Airbnb my sister and I can support our dad and he has a place to stay with her in the Bronx, and when he isn’t there/is back with me, she can put it on Airbnb.

  In her neighborhood of Hunts Point, there are very few homeowners who actually live in their homes. My sister and brother-in-law are true leaders in their community, continually getting trees planted, trash/illegal dumping cleaned up, needles off the streets, new stoplights and lights installed, planting flowers in the flower beds, fighting rats and more…. you name it my sister and her husband are there working to improve their block and neighborhood. If they have to sell their house to move somewhere Airbnb friendly, it would just be bought up by some investment company. I believe less than 5% of homes in her neighborhood are owner occupied. You are lucky to have them there, working to make NYC a better place, helping people and their community. We benefit since she is able to maintain a place for her family (me, my dad, etc.) to stay when we need it, and earn money/keep the space nice with the protection and insurance of Airbnb, when we don’t. Please don’t make it burdensome, more challenging, financially prohibitive or even impossible for my sister to keep renting rooms on Airbnb. It is important to our family to have this kind of flexibility as we navigate the challenges of trying to help aging parents on fixed income.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:48pm

• tom p

  I am against restricting private homeowners from conducting short term rentals in their multi-family properties. It is wonderful for sharing community with travelers, and very important to help with expenses in this pricey city. I believe that things change, and the hotel industry will need to adapt to a new paradigm in accommodations.

  Comment added January 11, 2023 11:57pm

• IR

  During tonights hearing it was disheartening how inaccessible non-english speakers found the hearings to be. The closing comments from the woman who was in tears begging in Spanish for translations goes to show that the OSE did not think about the large immigrant community who will be impacted by these laws. The notice was only available in English. The instructions for asking for help were only available in English.

  For a city that claims to welcome immigrants we have failed them here.

  Guessing this will be the last comment you approve.

  Wither short term rentals in our city.

  FIN.

  Comment added January 12, 2023 12:01am