San Francisco Announces Settlement in Airbnb Lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO - A settlement signed this morning in a lawsuit filed by Airbnb and HomeAway will ease the registration process for short-term rental hosts and help ensure that only those who are legally registered can list properties on the sites, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said.

Short-term rental hosts in San Francisco will need to input a city registration number when listing properties, but will have the option of registering right on Airbnb and HomeAway's websites, simplifying the process, Herrera said.

In addition, Airbnb and HomeAway will provide the city with a monthly list of all San Francisco listings to allow city officials to verify that a unit is actually registered.

The sites will deactivate listings and cancel future stays for listings where the city finds an invalid registration.

"This is a turning point when it comes to enforcement," Herrera said. "This settlement ensures that the two largest rental platforms in San Francisco will only include legal listings. It also guarantees that enforcement with real teeth begins in short order."

Airbnb sued the city last June after the Board of Supervisors passed legislation that would fine the company for every booking it accepted from unregistered hosts.

A federal judge later rejected most of the company's arguments but issued a stay on the legislation while the parties negotiated on the method of enforcement.

Short-term rentals have generated controversy in San Francisco over worries that they give property owners an incentive to displace long-term tenants for higher profits.

City law enacted in 2015 requires short-term rental owners to register with the city, obtain a business license and observe limits on the number of days a unit can be rented. It also prohibits multiple listings by the same owner.

The settlement must be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

- Bay City News / Image via Shutterstock