City Watch: New York City
Local Law 18 wiped out 80–90% of NYC’s short-stay listings. Any stay under 30 days now requires the host to live on-site, host no more than two guests, register with the Office of Special Enforcement, and survive $1K–$5K fines that also hit booking platforms.
- Mandatory host presence and partial-home rentals only.
- Registration backlog leaves thousands of applications idle.
- Platforms block payouts the moment a listing lacks an approved number.
ASTRO treats NYC as a permanent rapid-response desk. We track registry approvals, DOB sweeps, lawsuits, and hotel-lobby pressure so members know what relief is realistic versus rumor.
Where NYC squeezes operators
- Registration gauntlet: Primary-residence proof, floor plans, fire-safety sign-offs, and building classifications drown most applicants.
- Platform enforcement: Airbnb, VRBO, and others must decline payouts for unregistered units or face matching fines.
- Building restrictions: Co-ops, rent-stabilized assets, and multifamily buildings routinely block STR waivers.
- Escalating penalties: $5K per violation plus padlocks for repeat offenders; even “home-share” hosts get cited if paperwork slips.
ASTRO’s NYC desk keeps a live registry tracker, curates building-provenance packets, and preps members before every Council or OSE hearing. When approvals stall we pivot revenue into 30+ day furnished stays, member swaps, or sponsor activations so teams stay funded.
Strategically, we’re pushing for a certified-operator carve-out that distinguishes vetted owner inventory from illicit hotels. Until that happens, our playbooks focus on airtight compliance, rapid legal responses, and coalition messaging that keeps owners visible in Albany and City Hall.
- What do members get? Toolkits, governance tracking, and a trusted exchange.
- How fast can we launch? Paste Markdown, run the pave script, verify.