Lobbying Efforts Target Initiatives in States & Cities

Airbandb spent at least $5 million lobbying state governments last year, up from an estimated $800,000 in 2015, according to data from the National Institute on Money in State Politics. Hotel Industry associations (including American Hotel & Lodging Association), hotel unions and corporations spent at least $2.8 million on state government lobbying last year, but not on just the short-term rental issue. Airbandb has also poured significant resources into lobbying cities that are considering new restrictions on short-term rentals. In Los Angles, Airbanb has spent nearly $1.9 million on lobbying compared with about $288,000 for a coalition of hotel industry groups, labor unions and other groups.

Airbnb’s growth has slowed over the last year as some major markets have addressed short-term rentals, and its big spending has had mixed results. In 2015, the company successfully lobbied against a voter initiative in San Francisco that would have restricted short-term rentals, outspending opponents 16 to 1. Read the full article in the Wall Street Journal, Section B: “Business News”, Monday, October 2, 2017.