NYC Finds 27% of Approved Short-Term Rental Listings Are Now Illegal

Key Points

• A partial review by NYC’s Office of Special Enforcement found 27% of approved short-term rental listings are illegal.
• Despite Airbnb’s compliance with host registration under Local Law 18, many hosts later convert listings to illegal stays, and the law does not mandate Airbnb to remove them.
• NYC has issued about 600 warnings to non-compliant hosts and recently filed lawsuits against operators who ignored regulations.

Summary

New York City’s Office of Special Enforcement discovered that 27% of approved short-term rental listings are now operating illegally, mainly by offering entire homes or exceeding guest limits. While Airbnb is adhering to Local Law 18 by ensuring hosts are registered, the platform is not required to remove listings that later become non-compliant, leaving enforcement largely to the city. NYC has warned hundreds of hosts, pursued legal action against persistent violators, and faces challenges in enforcement due to low fines and the high cost of oversight.