Airbnb Cracks Down on Los Angeles Listings Suspected to be 'Party Houses'

Airbnb cracked down on more than two dozen listings in Los Angeles this week that were identified by police there as “party houses,” cancelling upcoming reservations and removing some entirely from the property sharing app.

The move comes after a fatal shooting killed several people over Halloween when more than 100 people gathered for a party at an Airbnb rental in Orinda, Calif. Following the deadly incident, Airbnb pledged to ban so-called “party houses” and promised to verify its 7 million listings by December 15, 2020.

On Monday, the site said it took “decisive action” against 28 listings in the Hollywood Hills that the Los Angeles Police Department identified as “creating a substantial neighborhood nuisance.” Some of those homes had generated citations and cease-and-desist orders, according to the site.

For those listings, Airbnb cancelled all upcoming reservations, removed some listings altogether “based on the severity of the issues” and suspended others until the property owners could certify they are in “good standing” with the city and submit documentation certifying that.

“We are grateful to the LAPD for their partnership in helping us identify listings that do not reflect the overwhelming majority of Los Angeles Airbnb hosts who share their homes responsibly,” John Choi, the public policy manager for Airbnb in Los Angeles, said in a statement. “Building trust in the communities our hosts call home is our top priority and we look forward to continuing to work with the LAPD to ensure we protect quality of life in neighborhoods throughout the City.”

Captain Steven Lurie, the LAPD’s commanding officer for the Hollywood Area, called the listings “nuisance” locations.

“We continue to work with all short-term rental platforms to allow them to provide their valuable service while maintaining the character of our neighborhoods,” Lurie said in a statement.