The combat over the way forward for Airbnb and different short-term leases in New York Metropolis is popping ugly, with proponents and opponents of increasing the non permanent housing market lobbing accusations of racism at one another.
The battle facilities on a regulation, adopted by the Metropolis Council with help from Mayor Adams, that imposed a restriction aimed toward guaranteeing town’s housing inventory is principally reserved for long-term residents slightly than vacationers. The regulation permits short-term leases solely of properties the place the homeowners additionally reside and are current.
Airbnb, the $77 billion firm that dominates the nation’s short-term leases market, has launched an aggressive lobbying marketing campaign to get the Council to move a invoice that may modify the regulation so sure homeowners of one- and two-family properties might open up their houses for non permanent friends once more with out having to be there.
As a part of that push, Airbnb and its supporters have made the case that the proposed legislative tweak can be particularly helpful for Black and immigrant householders, who might complement their incomes with short-term rental revenues.
The Tenants Not Vacationers coalition, a neighborhood umbrella group vehemently against amending the 2023 regulation, is looking for to shoot down Airbnb’s argument by pointing to the corporate’s historical past of donating to Republican politicians with data of anti-immigrant and, at occasions, anti-Black rhetoric.
The coalition’s knowledge embody a $1,000 donation Airbnb made in March 2017 to the marketing campaign of Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles, a Republican who only one month later resigned from workplace after utilizing the N-word to consult with his Black colleagues.
“Airbnb and its executives have been funding elected officials with histories of explicitly racist and anti-immigrant actions around the country,” stated Whitney Hu, director of civic engagement and analysis for Church buildings United for Honest Housing, one of many coalition’s member teams. “If Airbnb wants to convince us that they have New York values, they should ask for their donations back.”
The coalition, which is being funded by town’s politically highly effective HTC lodge staff union, plans to carry a rally on the steps of Metropolis Corridor on Wednesday morning to focus on Airbnb’s Republican donations.
Airbnb spokespeople didn’t instantly return requests for remark Tuesday.
The shot at Airbnb comes after supporters of the invoice to increase short-term leases within the metropolis have accused the coalition of additionally peddling in racism.
In a Monday letter to the coalition and HTC officers, a bunch of civil rights leaders, together with Harlem Rev. Johnnie Inexperienced, wrote {that a} latest advert the coalition ran within the Bronx Instances “carries significant racial undertones.”
The advert exhibits a Black man, wearing a hoodie and a cap, holding a suitcase whereas standing in entrance of a brownstone constructing. The caption to the advert says: “Airbnb says its safety checks may not reveal criminal activity. Do you want them next door?”
“For those who have spent their lives on the front lines of the fight for civil rights, we have seen these troupes executed time after time and know exactly what you’re doing,” Inexperienced and the others Airbnb growth supporters wrote within the letter earlier than including: “We strongly encourage you to end this campaign immediately and issue a full and genuine apology. There is no place for this kind of imagery or language in New York City.”
As reported by Politico on Tuesday, the coalition has pulled that advert from additional circulation.
The pitched rhetoric from each side is unfolding because the invoice favored by Airbnb seems to be making little headway within the Metropolis Council.
Regardless that it was launched in November 2024 by Brooklyn Councilwoman Farah Louis, it has solely attracted six co-sponsors, data present. When it was first launched, it was reported Council Speaker Adrienne Adams backed Louis’ effort, however the speaker has but to signal on as a co-sponsor.
The invoice would wish help from not less than half of the Council’s 51 members to move.
Airbnb, meantime, has up to now this 12 months spent practically $700,000 on lobbying Council members to again the invoice, data present.
Initially Printed: October 14, 2025 at 4:26 PM EDT
