Airbnb has launched a campaign aimed at New Haven residents to oppose a proposed ordinance that would prohibit investor‑owned short‑term rentals and impose new licensing requirements on owner‑occupied home‑shares. The company sent an email to local users on Saturday, encouraging them to email the mayor and Board of Alders with a few clicks.
Details of the proposed ordinance
The amendment, introduced earlier this month by Alders Dwight Frank Douglass, Mandy Martinelli and Leland Moore, defines a “vacation rental” as any dwelling rented for 30 consecutive calendar days or less for exclusive transient use. It would ban such rentals outright and require any authorized owner‑occupied short‑term rentals – often called “home‑shares” – to obtain a new city license managed by the Livable City Initiative (LCI), renewable every three years.
Additionally, the ordinance would cap the number of guests at a home‑share at ten total, or two per bedroom, not counting minor children. Hotels, motels and bed‑and‑breakfasts would be exempt.
Airbnb’s response
In its email, Airbnb warned that the measure would reduce available lodging for families visiting New Haven for medical care, campus tours or other reasons, and could drive up travel costs. The company emphasized that short‑term rental income helps more than 40 % of hosts stay in their homes and that the platform “disperses visitor spending to neighborhoods and small businesses across the city.”
Airbnb spokesperson Ivan Valladares told the Independent that the ordinance would “hurt everyday New Haven residents while doing nothing to improve the city’s housing shortage.” He noted that the company is working with the lobbying firm Gaffney, Bennett and Associates, which employs former Connecticut Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, and that Airbnb retained the firm in January.
Opposition and support
Labor groups and local activists are rallying behind the proposal. UNITE HERE Local 34 spokesperson Ian Dunn announced a rally at City Hall on Tuesday at 5 p.m., with Mayor Justin Elicker, the three sponsoring Alders, and representatives from New Haven Rising, the New Haven Federation of Teachers, the Connecticut Tenants Union, and several other community organizations expected to attend.
According to Dunn, New Haven Rising has collected over 4,500 petitions supporting regulation of non‑owner‑occupied short‑term rentals, a fully‑funded city budget, and better‑paying jobs for families. He cited data from AirDNA and the group’s own searches indicating more than 1,000 active short‑term rentals listed this summer, a rise that he claims has contributed to a 53 % increase in rents since 2020 and an estimated $29.9 million in extra rent costs for residents over the past three years.
Public hearing scheduled
The Board of Alders Legislation Committee will hold a public hearing on Thursday at 6 p.m. in City Hall. Residents will have the opportunity to voice support or opposition to the ordinance before the Board decides whether to move it forward.
What’s at stake
If passed, the ordinance would significantly reduce the number of short‑term rental units available to visitors, potentially impacting local tourism and the supplemental income of many homeowners. Proponents argue the measure is needed to protect long‑term housing affordability for New Haven families, while opponents contend it would undermine a valuable source of income for residents and hurt small businesses that benefit from visitor spending.
Both sides agree that the city’s housing shortage is a serious concern, but they differ on the best approach to address it. The upcoming hearing will provide a forum for community members, business owners, and city officials to discuss the trade‑offs and seek a solution that balances housing stability with economic opportunity.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
