New NYC legislation could bring back some short-term rentals. There's plenty of opposition.
In 2023, New York City's Local Law 18 all but banned short-term rentals through sites like Airbnb. Now, a new measure seeks to roll back some of those restrictions.
Intro 1107 seeks to reopen the door to short-term stays in one- and two-family homes in the outer boroughs. Viewed by supporters as essential economic opportunity for the middle class, the bill has found favor with homeowners groups including RHOAR, which is backed by Airbnb.
"What we really did was worked with the host community, worked with some members of City Council and said, 'Let's come up with a common-sense solution that doesn't impact the housing market, that lets regular people short-term rent their properties on an occasional basis in their primary residence,'" Airbnb director of policy strategy Nathan Rotman said.
"Those are possible tenants that could be evicted"
Some advocates say welcoming Airbnb back to New York City could bring devastating consequences.
"Those are possible tenants that could be evicted if their landlord decides that they would rather try to bring in a short-term rental," housing advocate Whitney Hu said.
As a member of Tenants Not Tourists, a coalition that includes the Legal Aid Society and Make the Road, she argues Airbnb will supercharge gentrification in vulnerable neighborhoods, where short-term rentals can turn higher profits than long-term leases.
Rotman insists the bill will not displace residents.
"Local Law 18 that was implemented has not lowered rent, has not created more affordability for people. What it has done is hurt those outer-borough hosts who are trying to make extra money on an occasional basis, and those are the people that we are trying to support," Rotman said.
Tenants Not Tourists highlights analysis from the office of the comptroller attributing roughly 9% of the citywide rent increase between 2009 and 2016 to Airbnb.
Each side in the debate is scrutinizing the other's affiliations and underlying agendas.
"The reality is a lot of these housing organizations are being funded by the hotel union to be having this fight," Rotman said.
Tenants Not Tourists points to the millions in donations from Airbnb to New York political candidates while it defends its own alignment with the Hotel Trades Council, a group they say has a track record of defying the hotel industry.
"We are tried and true housing advocates who have been on the front lines for a very long time," Hu said. "We're here because it's an effective coalition that's moving forward to try to protect tenants."
Homeownership was Daniel Cutler's lifelong dream.
"Every dime I earned I saved. I worked so hard to get to that point," he said.
But after getting the keys to his two-bedroom in Rockaway Beach, he lost his job in real estate, bringing him to the brink of foreclosure.
"I try not to think about it because it's really sad," he said.
He believes short-term rental through a site like Airbnb would help keep him in his home.
"We've all become victims of the cost of living"
Assemblymember and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani says that in a housing crisis, New York City can't afford more Airbnbs.
"That's nearly 14 percent of all rental units that could be taken from our housing stock and turned into Airbnbs," he said. "What we need to do is create more housing."
So where does the bill stand now?
"Introduction 1107 is currently going through the legislative process which is deliberative and allows for thorough public engagement and input," a spokesperson for the New York City Council told CBS News New York.
City council members on both sides of the divisive issue declined CBS News New York's interview requests. House Speaker and mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams, who was a co-sponsor before withdrawing her support for the bill this week, did not reply to requests for comment.
Amid the debate, Hu sees common ground for homeowners and renters.
"We've all become victims of the cost of living going up too high, and I think it's often taken out at each other versus wider systemic issues," Hu said.
Cutler hopes the perspectives of struggling homeowners will not be overshadowed.
"The cost of utilities have gone up considerably for me with heating and gas bills and everything," he said. "I just think there's a lot of people in my situation."
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