Cheers for Airbnb move

On behalf of the Massachusetts Lodging Association, I commend Mayor Marty Walsh and members of the Boston City Council for passing a new ordinance to rein in commercial Airbnb operators.

The city acted to return home-sharing to its true meaning by allowing people to open up their own homes to visitors to make extra money but prohibiting these illegal hotels in residential neighborhoods.

Having studied the evidence and considered all the interests, lawmakers concluded that these commercial operators — often out-of-town investors — were buying up housing units that would otherwise be rented to city residents.

In doing so, these operators were contributing to Boston’s housing shortage and lack of affordability, and disturbing residential neighborhoods while offering none of the health, safety and civil rights protections that our members are required to offer (and do so happily).

Boston has developed a new model for how major cities contend with short-term rentals that is sure to be replicated across the country and the world.

Now, the Massachusetts Legislature should enact statewide legislation to ensure short-term rental companies like Airbnb pay their fair share in taxes and abide by a common set of basic rules across the commonwealth.

— Paul Sacco, Sandwich, president & CEO, Massachusetts Lodging Association