Suddenly, the business practices of Airbnb seem to be under attack in many locations—including one of the company's most lucrative markets.
Katie Benner reports: "Hours after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York signed a bill that would impose steep fines on Airbnb hosts who break local housing regulations, Airbnb filed a federal lawsuit contending the new law would cause it 'irreparable harm.'"
"The heightened battle in New York follows lawsuits that Airbnb has filed against its hometown San Francisco and in Santa Monica, Calif., which have both moved to fine the company for illegal listings," according to Benner, in a gesture to the broad scope of Airbnb's legal battles. Airbnb has also been banned in Berlin, while fighting legal battles in Amsterdam and Barcelona. One exception is the city of New Orleans, which recently legalized (with strings attached) Airbnb rentals in much of the city.
However, given New York City's huge market for short-term rentals, the "New York law is particularly worrisome for Airbnb," according to Benner. Airbnb's legal complaint "the company contends that the law violates the company’s constitutional rights to free speech and due process, as well as the protection it is afforded under the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that says websites cannot be held accountable for content published by their users."
The article includes a lot more detail about the political battles and negotiations leading up the state's adoption of the law, as well as a preview of the battles to come.
Joshua Brustein and Christian Berthelsen provide additional coverage of the new law and the resulting lawsuit in a separate article for Bloomberg.
FULL STORY: Airbnb Sues Over New Law Regulating New York Rentals
Judge Sets Back NYC's Attempt to Grab Airbnb's Data
A 2018 law required Airbnb to share the names and addresses of hosts in the New York City. A judge ruled that the mandate violates the 4th Amendment.
Airbnb Drops Lawsuit with the State of New York
The frontline of the ongoing battle between Airbnb and government regulators shifts from Albany to New York City.
NYC Issues Over $16 Million in Short-Term Rental Fines
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Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.
San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
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A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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