Los Angeles imposes new restrictions on Airbnb
New restrictions on Airbnb and similar services in Los Angeles went into effect this week, driven by complaints that an explosion of shortterm rentals has turned apartment buildings into hotels and pinched the city’s already tight housing supply.
In a 2017 report, the city’s planning department said between 6,000 to 10,000 units that otherwise likely would have been rented to longterm tenants were being used primarily as shortterm rentals.
Vacationrental websites make it easy for property owners to rent out their homes, offering unique lodging to tourists at rates sometimes cheaper than hotels. But after years of debate, the city in December placed restrictions on what properties can be rented and the activities of renters, and imposed obligations on hosts, who have to register and pay an $89 annual fee.
The homesharing ordinance bars any type of shortterm rentals of properties other than someone’s primary residence. A primary residence is a place you live in at least six months out of the year. Bookings for all visitors are limited to 120 days a year.
When registering with the city, a host’s address on a federal or stateissued photo ID must match the address used for shortterm rentals. Therefore, homeowners can only register one vacationrental property with the city — those who own second homes or investment properties can rent only to longterm residents.
A host who rents rooms in their primary residence can create separate listings, but can rent to only one set of guests at a time, and shortterm rentals of any kind are no longer allowed in rentcontrolled buildings.
No longer will renting spaces in nonresidential buildings or temporary structures be allowed, such as an Airstream or RV parked in a driveway or a backyard storage shed.
To counter complaints of rowdy Airbnb party houses, a code of conduct was established, prohibiting amplified sound after 10 p.m. and evening outdoor gatherings of more than eight adults. Hosts must tell guests about those restrictions and could be held responsible for nuisance violations committed by guests.
In addition to registering and paying fees, hosts must keep records for city inspection and make sure smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and other safety features in rented spaces are operable.
Tenants can list their space on a shortterm rental platform, but they will now need written permission from a landlord. Hosts do not have to be home when guests are there.
Once registered with the city, a host will be given a registration number to post on all listings or advertisements.
Agnes Sibalvon Debschitz, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, said the city will work with a third party to monitor listings in violation of the new rules. The platforms also will be responsible for providing information on bookings at units without registration numbers or those that have exceeded the maximum number of annual bookings, she said.
A representative of Airbnb said in an email: “We will continue working with our hosts to ensure they are aware of the new process and to answer any questions about registration. We look forward to continuing to work with Los Angeles city officials on reasonable home sharing policies.”