Airbnb to up its spending in NY races to $10 million

The political action committee affiliated with Airbnb is upping its spending in New York City local elections, the group exclusively told City & State. 

In February, the short-term rental giant put $5 million into its PAC, called Affordable New York. It is now planning to double that sum to help elect sympathetic candidates in city elections taking place this year and next year at the state level. 

“Airbnb is just getting started,” Policy Director Nathan Rotman said in a statement. The group is already spending on a handful of candidates, and it hasn’t said yet which additional candidates it will be supporting with the new funds. “We will continue to support candidates who champion common-sense solutions to help everyday New Yorkers navigate the affordability crisis.” 

While donors to individual campaigns are limited by campaign finance laws, independent expenditure committees like Affordable New York are free to spend as much as they please to help – or oppose – a candidate. They are only barred from coordinating with any candidate’s campaign directly.

Airbnb and similar vacation rental platforms were all but shut out of New York City after a City Council law dramatically restricted short-term home rentals in 2023. Property owners currently can’t rent out an entire unit for less than 30 days. They’re only allowed to rent a room for a shorter period if they are living at home and will be present with the guests, and they’re not allowed to rent to more than two guests at a time. 

The restrictions have support from the hotel industry and from housing advocates who are worried landlords will use the city’s limited housing supply to host tourists rather than provide long-term housing for city residents. But many homeowners, including owners of smaller units who want to rent them out, chafe at the rules and say they make it even more difficult to afford their homes. 

Brooklyn City Council Member Farah Louis introduced a bill last year to relax some of the regulations, allowing one- and two-bedroom homeowners to rent their homes to short-term visitors without being present and to allow more guests. The bill faced vocal opposition from a coalition of affordable housing advocates, tenants’ groups, the hotel industry and the politically powerful Hotel and Gaming Trades Council. Earlier this year, citing legal questions, Louis watered it down significantly. The current version would still require homeowners to be present, but it would allow them to lock the doors of certain rooms in their home they don’t want guests to access. 

Council Member Mercedes Narcisse also introduced a bill in June that would expand the number of guests permitted from two to four.

The Affordable New York PAC has so far spent about $600,000 on eight candidates, according to Campaign Finance Board disclosures. That includes incumbent Council Members Narcisse, Kevin Riley, Selvena Brooks-Powers, Oswald Feliz, Althea Stevens and Amanda Farías, all of whom are running for reelection, as well as Rafael Salamanca Jr., who is running for Bronx borough president. Of those, only Farías (who with $28,000 worth in ads has gotten the least support from the PAC) is not a co-sponsor of either bill. The PAC is also spending on Ty Hankerson, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ chief of staff, who is running to succeed her with her support. Adams, who is running for mayor, was an early sponsor on Louis’ original bill and has ample influence over its fate as leader of the body. 

The PAC has so far spent the most on Riley, buying $124,000 worth of mailings, digital and print ads for him. Affordable New York hasn’t yet spent to support Louis’ reelection bid.