Regulation between Airbnb and the City of Boston imposes new rules on short-term rental

Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that the city of Boston has accepted a long-awaited settlement with the Airbnb short-term rental company.

Under the new agreement, Airbnb will adopt Boston's short-term rental registration system, thereby removing illegal short-term rentals from its website.

"I am pleased that we have been able to reach a settlement with Airbnb and continue our important work to make Boston a home for all residents," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

In December 2018, a bill to tax and regulate short-term rentals, signed by Governor Charlie Baker, came into force on January 1, 2019.

In May, a federal judge temporarily barred Boston from imposing two provisions contested by Airbnb, while allowing the city to fine $ 300 a day if a company such as Airbnb charges a fee on housing rented apartments deemed ineligible under the new rules.

"My goal in regulating short-term rentals has always been to responsibly integrate the growth of the condominium industry into our work," said Mayor Walsh. "Create affordable housing for all by striking the right balance between preserving housing and benefiting from this new industry".

"Our goal has always been to work with the city to find a way forward for home-sharing in Boston," said Liz DeBold Fusco, Communications Manager at Airbnb. "With this settlement agreement, this is what we have collectively achieved, by establishing an effective regulatory framework for compliance."

The agreement is divided into three parts; a share of shares limited to $ 25 a year, a home equity share of $ 200 and a unit adjacent to the owner also with an annual cost of $ 200.

• Limited-action units are for private rooms or shared spaces in the owner's main house, where the owner is present when renting.
• The sharing of the house is for an entire house or apartment available for a short-term rental at the owners' main house.
• Units adjacent to the owner are for owners who have two or three families in the building and the owner lists a single secondary unit as a short-term lease.

The agreement involves a much closer relationship between the city and the short-term rental application and offers additional protections to the occupants.

City officials in Boston will have the opportunity to inform Airbnb of any list that the city does not consider eligible under the Boston Short Term Rental Order. If the owner does not comply with the registration process within 30 days, he will be removed from the website.

On September 1, Airbnb will add an option on their website, allowing guests to enter and display the required registration number more easily.

"We are proud to have developed this comprehensive solution with the City and look forward to working with our community to raise awareness of its role in this new framework," Fusco said.