A recent study by the American Hotel & Lodging Association examined Airbnb activity across 12 major U.S. metropolitan areas over a 13-month period. The research covered New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., tracking patterns in listings, revenue and host behavior.
Key findings show that nearly 30 percent of Airbnb revenue in these markets comes from listings that are available year‑round. Those continually available rentals are often managed by operators who treat the properties as full-time businesses; on average, these operators generated about $140,000 in revenue during the study period. Collectively, they represented roughly 17 percent of hosts across the 12 cities, concentrating most heavily in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The report raises policy and public-safety concerns. Katherine Lugar, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, commented that the trend points to an increase in residential units being operated as de facto commercial hotels. According to Lugar, this shift can enable operators to avoid taxes, bypass local regulations and, in some cases, ignore health and safety standards that typically apply to traditional lodging establishments.
The study’s findings underscore ongoing tensions between short‑term rental platforms and local communities. Cities with tight housing markets and strong tourism demand are most affected, where year‑round, professionally managed listings can reduce housing supply for residents while increasing competition for regulated hotels. The financial incentives for converting residential units into continuous short‑term rentals appear significant, as reflected in the average revenue reported for full‑time operators.
Policymakers and stakeholders are using such data to consider responses ranging from stricter registration and permitting requirements to enforcement of existing zoning and safety rules. Measures under discussion in various municipalities include caps on the number of nights a unit can be rented, mandatory host registration and reporting of rental income, inspection requirements for safety and accessibility, and penalties for noncompliance. Proponents argue these steps protect housing availability, ensure a level playing field for regulated businesses and safeguard guest and community welfare; opponents caution about overregulation that could limit tourism income for residents who occasionally rent out spare rooms.
In addition to regulatory debates, the findings may affect how platforms, hosts and local governments approach transparency and accountability. Platforms can be encouraged or required to share aggregate or anonymized data with cities to help enforce rules and inform housing policy. Hosts who operate occasionally can distinguish themselves from professional operators by complying with local registration rules and following safety recommendations, while cities can develop clearer guidelines that balance visitor demand with neighborhood stability.
Overall, the study highlights a substantial portion of short‑term rental activity being driven by commercially managed, year‑round listings in major U.S. cities. That trend has implications for tax revenue, housing availability and public safety oversight, prompting continued conversation among industry groups, municipal officials and community advocates about appropriate policy responses.