Airbnb and short-term rental hosts will remain sidelined by New York City when the World Cup comes to town.
City Council committee chairs blocked a proposal to temporarily suspend short-term rental regulations in the city, the New York Post reported. The plea by Airbnb comes amid concerns about the hospitality industry’s ability to accommodate an influx of visitors for the games.
The letter to City Hall, signed by four chairs, said the suspension was “not a proposal that we will entertain.” They added that “suspending short-term rental regulations, even temporarily, would undermine housing stability at the exact moment when renters are the most vulnerable.”
A spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the administration agreed with the decision, adding that the “mayor is not considering any changes to the short-term rental laws that could raise housing costs for New Yorkers.”
Partnership for New York City head Steven Fulop, however, said it was “short-sighted” and would send “billions of dollars in potential investment across the river to New Jersey.”
Airbnb was largely wiped out of New York City when Local Law 18 was enacted in 2023. Listings plunged by roughly 90 percent after the law took effect, decimating what had been one of its largest U.S. markets.
There have been multiple attempts by legislators to loosen the shackles on Airbnb, which spent nearly $4 million during the recent election cycle to back City Council candidates and other political allies.
In 2024, fierce opposition from the hotel industry, tenant advocates and the influential Hotel and Gaming Trades Council dragged down one push to ease the restrictions.
In the fall, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse introduced a bill aiming to partially roll the short-term rental law, allowing owners of one- and two-family homes to rent out properties without being present for stays under 30 days.
There’s already evidence in other markets on how short-term rental owners are benefiting from World Cup fever. In Los Angeles, the average booked Airbnb rate for June 12 — when the U.S. team will play its first match at SoFi Stadium — is up 56 percent from a typical June night, the Los Angeles Times reported in December, citing AirDNA data.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is set to host eight matches during this summer’s World Cup, including the final on July 19.
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