Key Takeaways
- More than 75 New Jersey towns ban short-term rentals, with fines up to $2,000 and jail time for violations.
- Hoboken welcomes World Cup STR demand while neighboring towns like Kearny enforce strict bans.
- New York’s Local Law 18 is pushing World Cup lodging demand into compliant New Jersey markets.
More than 75 New Jersey municipalities prohibit short-term rentals ahead of the World Cup, while others race to capture what Deloitte projects as $5,700 in average earnings for hosts during the tournament.
Eight matches, including the final, will be played at MetLife Stadium in nearby East Rutherford in June and July, creating a lodging crunch as millions of fans descend on the region.
In addition to the games, New Jersey is also planning to host a slew of other festive World Cup events, including a FanFest in Camden and a final watch party at Cooper River Park.
Hoboken is welcoming soccer fans with open arms, calling the tournament a once-in-a-generation opportunity for homeowners, according to a Gothamist report. The city lacks clear STR regulations, though rent-controlled homes cannot be listed.
Penalties escalate in ban zones
Kearny recently expanded restrictions ahead of the World Cup, banning short-term rentals in multifamily homes on top of an existing single-family ban.
Penalties start at $750 and 10 days in jail for a first offense, escalating to $2,000 and 30 days for repeat violations.
Related: Cleveland City Council advances STR regulation after six years
Short-term rental occupancy for June 13 is up 169 percent year over year in the Jersey City–Newark area, compared with a 37 percent increase in New York City, according to AirDNA.
New York’s Local Law 18 led to a dramatic drop in Airbnb listings in the five boroughs, pushing demand across the Hudson.
Airbnb is offering new hosts a $750 bonus for hosting their first guests by July 31 in World Cup zones.
The platform does not block listings in towns where rentals are prohibited — hosts are expected to follow local laws.
AirDNA shows demand rising beyond major host cities, with nearby New Jersey towns seeing rising occupancy as operators in compliant jurisdictions position to capture June and July bookings before inventory disappears.
