San Francisco supervisors are expected to revisit a sticky issue Tuesday that has generated impassioned pleas from tenants and home-owners alike – Airbnb regulations.
People who want stricter controls on home-shares say landlords are taking hundreds of rentals off the market, exacerbating the city’s tight housing stock.
The stricter of two proposals to amend the home-share laws would limit rentals to 60 days a year. It is expected to fall short at the Board of Supervisors meeting and end up before voters.
“San Francisco is facing a housing crisis unlike anything we’ve seen and … what we’re finding is that Airbnb rentals are exacerbating the crisis,” said Supervisor David Campos, author of the proposal.
Last year, supervisors approved regulations on home-shares for the first time. The ordinance caps rentals of entire homes at 90 days and leaves hosted rentals untouched.
Airbnb is by far the biggest home-share player in San Francisco, with nearly 5,000 active listings at the end of April.
People who rent out space say they need the additional income to pay the mortgage and daily expenses.
“For thousands of San Franciscans, Airbnb is an economic lifeline making it possible to stay in the city they love,” Airbnb spokesman Christopher Nulty said.
Peter Kwan of Home Sharers of San Francisco, a group with 1,800 members, said there is clearly a serious housing crisis in the city but pointing the finger at home-sharing is not the solution,
San Francisco has sky-high prices and limited supply. Small homes often sell for more than $1 million, and one-bedroom apartments rent for over $3,000 a month.
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