Here's What's Next For Jersey City Following Historic Airbnb Vote

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Now that a historic referendum vote has guaranteed new rules for short-term rentals like Airbnbs, the work of enforcing those rules begins.

The ordinance outlining the new rules goes into effect Jan. 1. The city will hire staff for the Office of Housing Preservation, and additional inspectors and people to assist homeowners through the registration process, Mayor Steve Fulop said at a press conference Wednesday.

The new regulations were approved by more than a 2-to-1 margin of voters Tuesday night. The wide margin of victory sends a message to officials, Fulop said.

Related: UPDATE: Jersey City Approves Short-Term Rental Rules

"We certainly didn't expect it to be 70 percent, but we're thankful and I think it speaks to the democracy and the strength of Jersey City residents," Fulop said. "The 70 percent is also a message to the council and myself that the residents want this enforced, so we need to make sure that we are staffing [the Office of Housing Preservation] appropriately, and we're going to be doing that over the next two months."

The number of Airbnb listings in Jersey City has exploded in the past three or four years, according to Fulop, from 300 in 2015 and 2016 to more than 3,500 now.

Fulop also explained that the new regulations are not meant to have a negative effect on local homeowners who are trying to support their families.

"The person who is renting a bedroom out in her home to supplement her income, she was doing it yesterday, and she's still able to do it today, nothing has changed for her," Fulop said. "The person who has brought out five or six homes on a block and is crying hardship, that's not them struggling to pay their mortgage, that's a business they are operating as an unregulated hotel, an entirely different scenario."

Airbnb spent millions on their campaign to garner a "no" vote. Their campaign contained "misinformation" and "lies," Fulop said.

"A lot of comercials Airbnb ran were disingenuous and misleading," Fulop said. "We were very deliberate sticking to facts and messages and making sure that we ran a campaign that was responsible."

Related:

• Local Group Helps Slay Airbnbs In Jersey City
  
• Jersey City Approves Short-Term Rental Rules
• Developer Ran Illegal Airbnb Hotel In Jersey City: Officials
• A 'Yes' Vote Protects Jersey City Residents: Association
• Airbnbs Have Generated $40M For Jersey City Economy, Company Says

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com