Skift Take
Some New York City homeowners believe they should still be allowed to list their homes on Airbnb despite the city's ban, and they're not letting up in their demand for reinstatement.
When New York City effectively banned most short-term rentals last fall, that meant local homeowners were caught in the crossfire.
They could no longer rent vacant units in their homes for short-term stays, which many had relied on to make ends meet.
Hundreds of them have been pushing back since then through a group called RHOAR (Restore Homeowner Autonomy and Rights).
Margenett Moore-Roberts, one of those homeowners, shared the group’s viewpoint at the Skift Short-Term Rental Summit last week.
What Is RHOARRHOAR was formed in response to Local Law 18 in New York, which requires short-term rental owners to register as hosts. Among several requirements, registered hosts can only book reservations for fewer than 30 days and they must be present during the stays. Meanwhile, hosts, whether they are registered or not, are permitted to book stays of 30 days or longer.
The group consists of about 550 owners of one- and two-family houses in all five boroughs of the city.
About 50% of members are people of color, said Moore-Roberts, a diversity consultant who previously built Yah