Neubau's district boss fights against Airbnb: key boxes in his sights!

Neubau's district boss fights against Airbnb: key boxes in his sights!

District leader Markus Reiter (Greens) is causing a stir in the heart of Vienna. Together with his team, he recently removed a so-called Airbnb key box from a fence and thereby sent a strong message. For Reiter, one thing is certain: these boxes symbolize the loss of affordable living space in new buildings. The anonymous handing over of keys for short-term rentals is a major problem and deprives many families of the opportunity to find an apartment, especially in a district where the number of short-term rentals has increased from around 100 ten years ago to over 700 now, which accounts for more than 5% of the total living space. This development is supported by the Academy of Sciences, which has examined the alarming trends in the city. We now count more than 720 Airbnb apartments in the district, whereas in 2014 there were only 70.

Reiter's call for a clear ban on Airbnb in residential zones is supported by regulations in many other cities. Cities such as Hamburg, Munich and Cologne have already taken measures to regulate short-term rentals and combat the misuse of living space. In many cities, this leads to rising rents and the displacement of tenants. The legal framework for platforms like Airbnb has tightened, and fines for violating existing regulations can reach up to 500,000 euros. It is no wonder that the pressure on the city government to introduce further regulations is constantly growing.

The pressure is growing

Green city councilor Georg Prack supports Reiter's initiative and highlights the social dimensions of the housing shortage. 'We need to ensure that housing is available for the local population and not just for mass tourism,' said Prack. There were already efforts to remove the key boxes in Neubau in the spring, but without clear guidelines in the city government's new government program, the responsible authorities have little room for maneuver. Reiter fears that, in the worst case, the current building regulations could allow up to 3,000 Airbnb apartments and sees this as a massive intervention in the quality of living for the population.

The upcoming EU rules regulating short-term rentals, which come into force in May 2024, could offer a solution. These include a central digital access point for authorities and a digital registration process for hosts. This is intended to increase the pressure on cities to take appropriate measures to combat the explosive increase in short-term rentals and to protect affordable housing. Under the new regulations, member states will be asked to take local needs into account when regulating short-term rentals within two years, which could give cities more flexibility.

The responsibility of the hosts

But with regulation also come challenges for the hosts. Scammers are increasingly masquerading as short-term accommodation providers, and platforms are using artificial intelligence to detect fakes. The legal situation for providers has become more stringent in many cities, meaning that major platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com are under pressure to take the housing situation of locals into account.

In the midst of the tourism boom, what's next for living space in new buildings and elsewhere? It doesn't seem to be entirely certain. Urban planning is required to find solutions that meet the needs of both travelers and residents. Until then, district boss Reiter will remain vigilant and has reiterated his call for a clear ban on Airbnb in residential zones - and at the same time announced that he will continue to take action against the key boxes until the relevant regulations are passed.

The discussion about Airbnb is far from over. For many, it remains a question of living space and the future of urban life in Vienna, which is coming under increasing pressure from mass tourism.

For further information about the legal framework for short-term rentals, it is worth taking a look at the website today.at, alloggia.de and bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de.