Boston Cracking Down on Airbnbs, Issuing Hundreds of Fines Ahead of Registration Deadline

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After Airbnb and the city of Boston agreed to a settlement over a new short-term law this past summer, officials have issued roughly 400 fines for violations of that regulation across the city, according to the Boston Globe.

The Globe reports that the city has cited nearly 200 addresses from the Back Bay to Roslindale for violating the new laws, which require Airbnb hosts own the properties they rent out, and live in them for at least nine months out of the year.

Penalties for breaking the law can result in a $300 fine per violation.

The new regulations were designed to bolster the housing market during by deterring investors and absentee landlords from renting out the units for short periods. An estimated 2,000 apartments are being rented by the night to tourists in the current market, according to the Globe.

As part of the settlement, Airbnb is enabling a registration function on their website for hosts to enter their city-issued registration. The deadline for Airbnb hosts to register with the city is Dec. 1. Registration opened in January of 2019.

Hosts that don’t register by Dec. 1 will have their listings taken down, according to WBUR.

Written by Tanner Stening for masslive.com