Judge Dismisses Airbnb's Lawsuit Against NYC's Strict Rental Rules

A state judge has dismissed lawsuits from Airbnb and three hosts seeking to block strict new regulations on short-term rentals in New York City. The ruling allows the city to require owners of short-term rental properties to register them with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement under a 2022 law. The law also allows property owners and managers to add residences to a "prohibited building list" to block payment at those addresses. Airbnb called the law a "de facto ban" on listings of less than 30 days, but the judge deemed the registration requirements reasonable and necessary to address the prevalence of illegal short-term rentals. Housing advocates argue that short-term listings contribute to the city's limited supply of permanent homes.