From CNET: San Francisco has put the squeeze on Airbnb.
The city's Board of Supervisors ruled late Tuesday night that hosts can rent out their houses and apartments on the home-rental marketplace for only 60 days per calendar year. This legislation comes after years of haggling between the city and Airbnb.
This 6-2 decision could have major repercussions for Airbnb. The home-rental company, which now has more than 2 million listings in nearly 200 countries, is waging battles with lawmakers around the world. Officials in other cities are looking to San Francisco to set an example of how best to regulate the eight-year-old startup -- this ruling could have a ripple effect.
"We are disappointed on behalf of the thousands of middle class San Franciscans who would be harmed by this arbitrary proposal that does nothing to fix the broken registration system," an Airbnb spokesman said in an email.
San Francisco was one of the first cities in the world to make short-term rentals legal. In October 2014, the city passed a law that let people rent rooms or their entire home for up to 90 days per calendar year when they weren't around. Hosts present during home-stays were allowed to lease rooms year-round. Tuesday's ruling means that all rentals will now be capped at 60 days per year. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has the option of vetoing the legislation, however.
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