UK, US Towns Plan Airbnb Restrictions Amid Housing Concerns

Several regions are considering or implementing stricter regulations on short-term rentals (STRs) like Airbnb in response to concerns about housing shortages, neighborhood impacts, and legal issues. Brighton and Hove City Council is exploring planning restrictions and licensing schemes to manage STRs, aiming to balance tourism benefits with housing supply protection. Similarly, Inverness councillors propose a control zone requiring planning permission and licenses for STRs to address the shortage of affordable homes and rental market shrinkage in the Highlands. Normal Town Council has banned new STRs in certain neighborhoods and mandated conversions of existing STRs to long-term rentals within five years, a move some local hosts view as an overcorrection that might overlook better data-driven solutions. Meanwhile, Airbnb faces legal challenges in the UK over allegations of profiting from listings in illegal Israeli settlements, with human rights groups calling for a criminal investigation into potential money laundering violations. These developments reflect growing scrutiny of STRs' social, economic, and legal impacts across different jurisdictions.