Hotel workers, supporters cheer DC City Council vote on short-term rental bill

The Wilson Building was a sea of bright red shirts on Tuesday as Unite Here Local 25 members crowded the hallways and City Council chamber to demonstrate their support for short-term rental legislation. Local 25 and its members and supporters welcomed the unanimous passage of a first reading of the critical legislation, which Local 25 political director Sam Epps said “would protect affordable housing and good, middle-class jobs in the District of Columbia.” The bill – which will regulate home-sharing services like Airbnb -- must still pass a second reading, and Epps added that “We’ll be actively engaging with lawmakers in the lead-up to the final vote to ensure that the legislation is not watered down. Our members are watching closely and anticipating this bill’s passage into law in its current form.“ The DC Fiscal Policy Institute tweeted that “Home-sharing should be limited to primary residences so that homes aren't being taken off the market, which further exacerbates DC's #affordablehousing challenges.” Graylin Presbury, President of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations, commended Council Chairman Mendelson and councilmember Kenyan McDuffie “for putting forward a common-sense ordinance that protects true home sharing, while cracking down on commercial investors buying up residential homes to rent on Airbnb.”
photo courtesy Unite Here 25 Twitter

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