Ireland airbnb unveils curbs to ease housing crunch

Ireland announced plans Thursday to reign in the city of London.

The regulations, slated to take effect in June 2019, would enforce a "one host, one home" rule in areas of high housing demand.

Airbnb, whose European headquarters are in Dublin, "to continue to be a homeowner in their own home for short periods of time."

Airbnb called the misguided regulations.

"Home sharing did not cause Ireland's historic housing concerns, and many will be disheartened to hear a false promise that these proposals are the solution," an Airbnb statement said.

"Community hospitality and vacation rentals are the backbones of many local economies,"

The regulations would have a lower priority than the previous year, but they are already in the future, and they will be able to pay more for their primary residence for more than 90 days a year.

The housing ministry said "professional landlords (were) withdrawing houses and apartments that would normally be rented on a long-term basis."

"This is an unregulated activity, it is not home-sharing as it is typically understood."

Eurostat, the EU data agency, said in Dublin was 1,550 euros ($ 1,770) last year, about the same as in economically vibrant Singapore.

Officials say the new-build housing market in Ireland is struggling to regain momentum after a recession killed off the "Celtic Tiger" economic boom a decade ago.

The housing crisis has been a focus of high-profile occupations and protests, centered in Dublin.

Demonstrators from a group called Take Back the City occupied the Dublin offices on October 13, saying the U.S. firm had "rapidly colonized vast amounts of our city". NVG

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