Judge Paul Engelmayer put the brakes on a bill signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio that demanded Airbnb, Home Away, and other home rental site owners turn over detailed data of their businesses before renting their homes out, or face a fine of $1,500.
The Judge said the bill, which was to go on the books February, 2nd could possibly violate the Fourth Amendment. Judge Englemayer is quoted in the New York Post saying, "The City has not justified its sweeping capture of constitutionally protected records."
"Airbnb and HomeAway immediately sued the city when the bill was introduced in August of 2018 calling the move "an extraordinary act of government overreach." The complaint also stated that the bill was a product of a multi-million dollar campaign funded by the City's powerful hotel lobby which is intent on intimidating New Yorkers into abandoning home sharing.
New York law prohibits short-term apartment rentals of less than a month unless the homeowner is present.
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