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Los Angeles Considers Banning Rentals Moonlighting As Airbnb Spots
Airbnb Pop-up in Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Photo by current events via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
On the heels of Santa Monica banning most Airbnb rentals, Los Angeles is now considering cracking down on the homesharing website.The measure proposed Tuesday by Councilman Mike Bonin and Council President Herb Wesson would prevent people from posting listings on homesharing websites, such as Airbnb, that wasn't their primary residence. Spare rooms and back houses would be allowed, along with whole houses and apartments while the owner or tenant is away—just as long as its their primary residence, according to the L.A. Times.
"We cannot tolerate how a growing number of speculators are eliminating rental housing and threatening the character of our neighborhoods," said Bonin on Tuesday.
Bonin, who represents Venice and Playa del Rey, says he supports homesharing and uses Airbnb himself. He says the measure is meant to crackdown on what he calls "homestealing" and "rogue hotels."
"By 'homestealing' I mean a sort of syndicate of speculators who are coming into the community, particularly Venice, and buying entire apartment buildings and homes they have no intention of living in and turning them into de facto hotels," he explained to KPCC.
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Airbnb says over 80 percent of their listings in Los Angeles are already primary residents, and welcomes the regulation. "This proposal demonstrates L.A. is embracing home sharing and the peer-to-peer economy," the company said through a spokeswoman.
The measure appears to be aimed at keeping management companies and landlords off Airbnb. Housing activists contend that short-term rental firms are taking homes off the marketas Los Angeles becomes more unaffordable to live in. In April, Airbnb cut ties with at least two of these firms.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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