Three years after a New York City law created an unofficial block on short-term rentals, Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) has launched a new effort to influence candidates in this year’s municipal elections with campaign donations.
The Gothamist reports the company’s Affordable New York SuperPAC has been funded with $5 million that will be allocated to the campaigns of City Council candidates who are in favor of changing the short-term rental laws. The SuperPAC has already spent $600,000 on ads and mailers – local election laws prevent City Council candidates from accepting more than $1,600 from individuals, but there is no limit on donations from SuperPACs that operate separately from individual campaigns.
Nathan Rotman, Airbnb’s North American policy and strategy director, said the company was “just getting started” with its campaign donations, adding it will “support candidates who champion common-sense solutions to help everyday New Yorkers navigate the affordability crisis.”
Airbnb has yet to financially back any of the candidates for mayor – incumbent Eric Adams has eschewed the Democratic primary to run as an independent while former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is leading the crowded field of primary challengers. However, five of the primary candidates have already stated their opposition to reversing the short-term rental laws to favor Airbnb, and neither Adams nor Cuomo have expressed a willingness to accept Airbnb’s support.
