Airbnb has enlisted Rev. Al Sharpton and more than a dozen other religious leaders to pressure New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani into loosening the city’s strict short-term rental rules ahead of next month’s World Cup, when more than 1 million visitors are expected to arrive.
Sharpton personally asked Council Speaker Julie Menin to ease restrictions for black homeowners who want to offer short-term rentals, “New York Times” reported Monday.
A coalition of black clergy echoed the request in a May 1 letter to Menin, who has clashed repeatedly with Mamdani since he took office in January.
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A nearly $1 million lobbying effort failed to reverse the crackdown
The company has hosted town halls and outreach events in Harlem – and across the city – framing its platform as an economic lifeline for black homeowners during major tourism events.
The charm offensive comes after a $900,000 lobbying effort failed to reverse the city’s crackdown.
Airbnb has sponsored local events, given away 1,000 free World Cup tickets to young soccer players in Queens, and opened a new soccer pitch in the Bronx.
Nearly three years after the restrictions took effect, rent remains higher than ever and virtually no additional housing has been added to the market, the city says.
A mayoral spokesperson countered that easing the rules would worsen the housing crisis and turn apartments into investment opportunities for predatory actors.
The hotel workers’ union has been trying to counter Airbnb’s outreach by building alliances with pastors and housing advocates opposed to expanding short-term rentals.
The union has long argued that Airbnb removes housing from the market and contributes to rising rents in working-class neighborhoods.
New York remains one of the toughest markets in the country, and Mamdani has shown no public sign of softening his stance despite the mounting political pressure.
