The company spends millions on political campaigns in New York to oppose short-term rental restrictions that cut more than 80% of its listings in the city in one year
Jan 17, 2025
Airbnb is allocating $5 million to support pro-homesharing candidates in New York City and state offices this year and next. The company also intends to back candidates who support increasing housing supply, promoting tourism and boosting small businesses, countering the powerful hotel lobby, according to a source.
Key takeaways
- Airbnb is launching one of its biggest political efforts in years after the city’s registration law, which went into effect in September 2023, removed more than 18,000 listings and cost the company millions in lost revenue;
- City officials argue the registration law is crucial to cracking down on illegal rentals that endanger guests, inflate rents and disrupt neighborhoods;
- Airbnb’s state-specific spending is notable, dwarfing what many larger tech companies spend to influence government policy more broadly.
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