World Cup sparks debate over short-term rentals in US host cities

US: Cities across the United States hosting FIFA World Cup matches are facing growing pressure over short-term rental rules as Airbnb pushes for more accommodation options ahead of the tournament.

Airbnb, an official World Cup partner, has invested millions of dollars into host cities and is offering a $750 bonus to attract new hosts before the event. The company says short-term rentals can help meet demand from the large number of visitors expected during the tournament.

But not everyone is in agreement, as concerns from housing groups and local organisations have been raised about the impact that an increase in short-term rental accommodation would have on the supply of long-term housing, and increase the pressure on already constrained housing markets.

Several cities have proposed changes to their short-term rental regulations, but none of the host cities in the United States have enacted new laws that would cover the World Cup. Cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Dallas and Kansas City continue to have the same regulations.

Commenting on the issue, Brenda Clement, executive director of HousingWorks RI, said: “It’s not a bad thing to encourage all of this economic activity and excitement and interest, but when we do it in the context of a very tight housing market, it further exacerbates the problem.”

The debate brings up the question of how many more visitors many cities can accommodate while also maintaining their own housing supply.

Highlights

• Airbnb has invested millions of dollars in World Cup host cities and is offering a $750 bonus to attract new short-term rental hosts.
• Cities including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Dallas and Kansas City continue to enforce existing short-term rental regulations ahead of the tournament.
• Despite discussions around possible policy changes, no US World Cup host city has introduced new short-term rental rules specifically for the event.
• Housing groups have raised concerns that expanding short-term rental accommodation could reduce the supply of long-term housing in major cities.
• The FIFA World Cup has intensified debate over how cities can accommodate increased visitor demand while protecting local housing availability.