SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Over the past year, San Diego has seen a handful of vacation rentals become problems, often dubbed "known party houses," from La Jolla to Bankers Hill.
But last August, Airbnb announced a ban on parties during the pandemic and started removing local properties breaking the rules.
"It was quite popular with our host community, including in San Diego," said Ben Breit, a spokesperson with Airbnb.
Breit added that the company is now planning to extend that ban.
"We are going to continue to take a hard line on parties and certainly any disruptive gatherings at least until the end of summer, at which point we'll reassess and try to figure out what is the prudent way forward," Breit said.
It comes at a time when demand for short-term and vacation rentals is growing. According to the data firm AirDNA, there has been a 66% increase over last year.
While the demand is growing, Breit says their policies mandate that hosts and guests adhere to local public health laws.
"Public health is still a very important factor for us and important consideration, but it's also just about being good neighbors," Breit said.
For those contemplating breaking the rules, Airbnb said hosts could lose their ability to list.
"Potentially a suspension of the listing sometimes a full removal," Breit said.
And guests might face some stiff consequences, including being banned or potential legal action, Breit said.
If you need to report an Airbnb violation, call the neighborhood support team directly at 1-855-635-7754.
