LA saw 60% increase in Airbnb listings this past year: report

Airbnb listings
Airbnb listings

Los Angeles has seen a major surge in Airbnb listings this past year, despite increased scrutiny on the company.

L.A. County saw a 60 percent increase in listings this past May, compared the same period in 2015, according to an analysis by WeHo by the Numbers of new data from a third-party website, Inside Airbnb. Listings were up 30 percent in West Hollywood, where an amendment to the city’s zoning rules was recently passed, clarifying that short-term residential rentals are illegal.

There were 450 active Airbnb listings as of May 2, 2016 — 100 more than there were on May 24, 2015, according to WeHoville’s analysis of Inside Airbnb data.

There were about 500 listings in Santa Monica and over 1,000 in Hollywood, which saw a 50 percent increase since last year.

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An overwhelming majority of the WeHo listings were for whole units — 70 percent — and 40 percent of active listings came from hosts with multiple listings.

As for rates, the median price per night for a whole unit was $140. The median price for single rooms was $79.

While West Hollywood formalized its ban on short-term rentals last year, the L.A. City Planning Commission only recently approved a set of strict limits and regulations on the platform, including the prohibition of non-primary residences. City Council will vote on the draft later this month. [WeHoville] — Cathaleen Chen