New polling data highlights New Orleanians’ support for short-term rentals

Key Takeaways

  • As the city continues to deliberate short-term rental rules, a new poll finds 75% of New Orleans residents support short-term rentals with balanced regulations.
  • Hosts call on city leaders to consider the public's opinion and implement fair and balanced regulations, taking into account the challenges faced by the Host community, such as reduced income and increased operating costs.

Key Takeaways

  • As the city continues to deliberate short-term rental rules, a new poll finds 75% of New Orleans residents support short-term rentals with balanced regulations.
  • Hosts call on city leaders to consider the public's opinion and implement fair and balanced regulations, taking into account the challenges faced by the Host community, such as reduced income and increased operating costs.

A recent poll conducted in New Orleans1 reveals the majority of residents support short-term rentals with balanced regulations in place. The results come as the City of New Orleans continues to deliberate new short-term rentals rules that would keep many residents from sharing their home to earn extra income.

The poll, conducted by Dr. Silas Lee and Associates, also found that: 

  • Nearly 65% of respondents strongly agree that allowing short-term rentals is good for tourism in New Orleans
  • Nearly 75% of respondents strongly agree that short-term rentals are an important source of income for local residents

These findings emphasize the need for the city to take the public’s opinion into account and ensure that responsible, licensed Hosts are able to continue operating amidst proposed regulatory changes that could hurt the local economy.

Short-term rental tax revenue supports local services

In addition to providing Hosts with supplemental income to keep up with the rising cost of living, short-term rentals are also an important source of revenue for the City of New Orleans. In 2022, Airbnb collected and remitted approximately $23 million in tourism taxes on behalf of our Host community in New Orleans. This revenue helped fund vital services such as infrastructure improvements, public safety, and cultural preservation. The tourism industry is a significant driver of the New Orleans economy, accounting for over $10 billion in economic activity and supporting nearly 100,000 jobs in 20192.

Hosts on Airbnb call for fair rules

On Thursday, the New Orleans City Council will vote on proposed regulations that would limit the number of short-term rentals to one per square block across the entire city and establish a lottery for permits. While these measures aim to address community concerns, they pose significant challenges for local residents who rely on home sharing. Hosts across New Orleans have expressed concerns that these regulations could reduce their income.

During a recent press conference, New Orleans Hosts and community members shared their thoughts on the importance of short-term rentals and responsible hosting. Karen Lodrig, a Host in attendance, said, “I think it’s important to recognize that we are part of the community too. We’re not big corporations, but small operators who rely on this income to support our families.”

Another Host, Wynton Alexander, expressed support for common-sense regulations, stating, “If we can find a balance with responsible hosting and strict rules to protect our neighborhoods, I think we can all benefit from short-term rentals.”

Airbnb continues to partner with the City of New Orleans

Since 2019, Airbnb has worked with the City of New Orleans to support the city’s enforcement of short-term rental rules. To help promote compliance, we include a mandatory permit field on all listings for Hosts to enter their registration number. 

In addition, we have taken a number of steps to help combat parties and disruptive guest behavior, including: 

  • Implementing a global ban on parties and events during the pandemic, permanently banning party houses, and cracking down on party houses in New Orleans
  • Implementing restrictions on certain bookings on holiday weekends such as New Year’s Eve, Halloween and 4th of July, and the platform has seen a 44% decrease in party reports globally since the implementation of the anti-party technology
  • A 24/7 Neighborhood Support Line where neighbors and community members can directly reach us to report issues with a listing

Nearly 50% of respondents in the recent poll agree our 24/7 Neighborhood Support Line is a helpful way for neighbors to share their concerns.

Airbnb is committed to being a good partner to the City of New Orleans and will continue to support responsible Hosts in advocating for fair rules that protect the economic benefits of hosting.

1Prepared for: Airbnb & Pelican State Partners, LLC. Pollster/analyst: Dr. Silas Lee and Associates.
2According to a report by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the tourism industry generated over $10 billion in economic activity in New Orleans and supported over 89,000 jobs in 2019.