Uncovering Underground Airbnb Rentals in Boston

Short-term property rentals abound on websites such as Airbnb and VRBO. Once novel, they've now become ubiquitous, prompting cities like Boston to put ordinances in place to control their spread.

According to a Boston Globe report, Boston's short-term residence (STR) ordinance demands that property owners register a unit in this way and live at the address as their primary residence in some way, among other requirements.

After Boston implemented the STR ordinance in 2018, Airbnb sued the city over its restrictions but settled, allowing the city to begin requiring STR registration. Boston's STR requirements include multiple proofs of residence to allow the permit number to appear in online rental listings and for registrants to apply to receive a business certificate with the city.

Although Airbnb has agreed to delist STRs that have not been registered and states that all listings must comply with local ordinances, not every listing follows suit. Some Airbnb investment advocates say that earning “passive income” by managing STRs on the platform is easy, but navigating the requirements that allows them to list their properties in this way does not.

Airbnb data tracker AirDNA said in a statement to the Globe that the average Greater Boston area nightly fee is $301.81 as of July. It was $122.93 in January 2018.

The Globe spoke with one individual, Alex, who declined to provide her last name. She didn't realize space within her South End apartment complex was an Airbnb rental until she started to investigate. Alex said the constant early-morning suitcase noise forced her to move out of her apartment.

According to the Globe, "Neighbors to STRs in Boston and Cambridge interviewed — including Alex, who uses them when visiting other cities — said they do not oppose short-term rentals on principle, but it's the shirking of the permits that bothers them when it may also be associated with uncollaborative neighbors."