City Hall gets serious about Airbnb oversight

City Hall published proposed rules for the oversight of short-term rental listings on platforms like Airbnb.

Under the proposal, listing websites would be required to send monthly reports to the city, detailing information about hosts, whether entire apartments or mere rooms were rented out and how much guests paid, Crain’s reported.

The proposed rules, which are headed for a public hearing on Dec. 18, follow a bill that passed City Council in July that calls for a $1,500 fine for any listing that isn’t disclosed to the city by one of the platforms.

“This law provides the city with the critical information it needs to preserve our housing stock, keep visitors safe, and ensure residents feel secure in their homes and neighborhoods,” Christian Klossner of the mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement said in a statement.

Airbnb has said the legislation was pushed by the Hotel Trades Council, which donated to the campaigns of several council members. The $31 billion startup also said average New Yorkers could be “harassed” under the legislation. [Crain’s] — Konrad Putzier