Bill would reopen Airbnb to small homeowners throughout New York

A Brooklyn lawmaker wants to reopen the city’s doors to Airbnb — at least partially.

Councilman Mercedes Narcisse introduced a bill last week that would allow owners of one- and two-family homes to rent out their properties on a short-term basis without them being present, Crain said. reported. The deal would be a partial rollback of New York City’s 2023 crackdown that effectively banned most Airbnb listings.

The proposal would allow up to four adult guests for stays shorter than 30 days.

Narcisse’s bill revives familiar political lines: support from lawmakers representing black, middle-class neighborhoods that rely on rental income and opposition from housing advocates who see Airbnb worsening the housing crisis.

The bill’s journey — introduced under one lawmaker, expanded by another, and now repackaged under a new number — underscores the tangled politics surrounding short-term rentals in a city still struggling with affordability and tourism recovery.

The proposal mirrors a similar effort last year, which failed after fierce opposition from the hotel industry, tenant advocates and the influential Hotel and Gaming Trades Council.

Airbnb’s listings fell by about 90 percent after the 2023 law went into effect, decimating one of the largest U.S. markets.

Airbnb isn’t giving up on New York. The company spent almost $4 million on this

election cycle to support city council candidates and other political allies, although its influence may wane as new city leadership takes over in 2026.

Michael Blaustein, Airbnb’s head of Northeast Atlantic policy, called Narcisse’s bill “the answer countless suburban New Yorkers have been looking for,” arguing that it would help homeowners without hurting housing supply.

Opponents, led by the hotel union and tenant groups like Tenants Not Tourists, say any rollback risks siphoning apartments out of the long-term rental market.

“Airbnb is once again trying to disguise corporate greed as concern for New York families,” said activist Whitney Hu, whose group receives HTC funding. The union rallied outside City Hall this month in anticipation of legislative pressure.

— Holden Walter Warner

Read more

The Daily Dirt: Airbnb and hotel union are at odds (again).

Airbnb’s bid for a revival was set back by changes in legislation

Airbnb will spend millions on local elections in New York