Airbnb Sheds Thousands of Hosts in San Francisco

New registration requirements have proven an effective disincentive for thousands of short-term rental hosts in San Francisco.

1 minute read

January 16, 2018, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


San Francisco Bay Bridge

trekandshoot / Shutterstock

"Thousands of San Francisco hosts on Airbnb and rival home-stay sites have stopped renting their homes and rooms to tourists," reports Carolyn Said. The big drop off in short-term rental hosts is due to a recent deadline for people to register or be kicked off of sites like Airbnb and HomeAway.

After a recent court battle between the city and short-term rental companies, a May settlement "required the sites to register all hosts in phases starting in September," and the sites were required to kick off unregistered hosts by January 16, 2018. The companies will "face fines of up to $1,000 a day per listing and criminal penalties if they help arrange bookings of unregistered listings," according to Said.

"The city said 2,168 hosts had met its requirements to offer temporary rentals as of Thursday — representing a fraction of the 8,453 Airbnb listings the city observed in early August," reports Said. The article includes more details about how the drop-off in hosts is affecting business in the local market, and explains the reasons for the drop-off (i.e., why some hosts can't register under the new rules).

Saturday, January 13, 2018 in San Francisco Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation