Airbnb's lobbying to relax short-term rental restrictions in Los Angeles suffers setback

Since 2018, Los Angeles has required platforms such as Airbnb to allow only primary residences to be listed for rent. A report on November 4, 2026, said that Airbnb invested millions of dollars in that year's Los Angeles election in support of Mayor Karen Bass and other local candidates, with spending involving multiple issues related to its local business, including a proposal to temporarily relax short-term rental restrictions during the 2028 Olympics; the vacation rental expansion proposal would relax the restrictions until the end of 2028 and was still at the proposed stage at the time, and the report did not mention whether it had been submitted for a vote or taken effect. An earlier report said Airbnb invested "millions of dollars," and a later report said Airbnb and its nonprofit organization had invested more than $12 million in Los Angeles political affairs. A report on November 6, 2026, said City Councilmember Nithya Raman is expected to defeat incumbent Mayor Bass and be elected the next mayor, which constitutes a setback to Airbnb's push to relax short-term rental rules before the 2028 Olympics.