Is your rent going up? Airbnb could be the reason why. Not only are unlicensed holiday rentals lowering vacancy rates and jacking up market rents, a recent exposé shows that Airbnb has been actively fighting legislation that would protect renters from illegal suites.

Airbnb has hired staffs of lobbyists, political organizers, and former political campaign managers to fight new laws that would protect renters -- with some reports saying it spent as much as $8 million on a single, local campaign.

Airbnb claim that it’s business helps property owners make a little cash on the side -- but in reality it is a $25.5 billion corporation aggressively undercutting regulations and licensing in order to maximize its bottom line. If Airbnb wants to be one of the big players, it has to play by the same rules.

Tell Airbnb to stop lobbying against legislation that protects affordable housing!

Airbnb’s business model might seem like a good idea on paper, but in practice it encourages short-term, high-priced leases while people who have lived in communities their whole lives are getting displaced. In New York City, predominantly Black neighbourhoods are getting “ravaged” and hollowed out while Airbnb keeps raking in profit and fighting residents struggling to protect their communities.

Airbnb even lists rental suites in Palestinian territory in Israel’s occupied West Bank, a move that violates international law. Thousands of SumOfUs members have been taking action against the company to make sure that Airbnb doesn’t make money of the back of families forced out of their homes. But now we’re fighting it literally in our own backyard.

Airbnb: stop driving up our rents!

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