NEW YORK — Airbnb’s super PAC is spending $1 million on a digital ad attacking three mayoral candidates for not supporting short-term rentals as the company lobbies to expand its business opportunities in New York City.
“Their plans and policies will make New York even more expensive,” a voice narrating the ad cautions of Democrats Zohran Mamdani, Scott Stringer and Brad Lander, who oppose short-term rentals. On the screen is a New York Post headline warning about Mamdani’s tax hike proposal. “And they oppose common-sense solutions that would make the city more affordable.”
The 30-second ad started running Monday on streaming, digital and social media.
The ad from Affordable New York attacking three other candidates in the race serves to benefit the front-runner, Andrew Cuomo, and puts him in the enviable position of getting support from both sides of the bitter lobbying battle between Airbnb and the hotel workers union.
The former governor has been endorsed by the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and its super PAC plans to boost Cuomo with $1 million in spending on his behalf.
Airbnb could spend even more in the mayoral race — a spokesperson for the super PAC said it could spend as much as another $1 million before the June 24 Democratic primary.
HTC Political Director Bhav Tibrewal said he’s confused by Airbnb’s strategy.
“As governor, Andrew Cuomo took action against unregulated short-term rentals and he’s promised to continue to stand up for tenants and workers as mayor,” he said in a statement. “If Airbnb thinks it’s a flex to publicly light their money on fire, we’re happy to not stand in their way on this one.”
Airbnb has been pushing the City Council to exempt one- and two-family homeowners from the city’s short-term rental crackdown — an effort fiercely opposed by the influential hotel union.
The multibillion dollar industry is all but illegal in the city due to state law that prohibits rentals for fewer than 30 days when a host is not present. The city ramped up enforcement of those state rules in 2022, under a law requiring short-term rental hosts to register with the city, which effectively weeded out illegal listings.
Council Member Farah Louis, with support from Speaker Adrienne Adams, introduced a bill last November that sought to make way for Airbnb in one- and two-family homes. The council quietly amended that legislation in February, axing key parts of the bill after discussions with the hotel union — and, Louis said, “significant legal concerns” by the council.
Adams is also running for mayor, and Airbnb is refraining from attacking her.
Mamdani, an assemblymember representing western Queens, and Lander, the city comptroller, have opposed the legislation. Stringer, who preceded Lander in the comptroller’s office, is a longtime critic of Airbnb.
“Affordable New York was launched to support everyday New Yorkers who rely on short-term rentals to make ends meet,” the super PAC’s spokesperson Michael Blaustein, said in a statement. “These candidates continue to promote a false narrative blaming hosts for the housing crisis, despite evidence to the contrary. That rhetoric protects special interests, not New Yorkers.”
Mamdani spokesperson Andrew Epstein responded.
“First, it was the landlord lobby donating $2.5 million to the disgraced ex-governor,” he said, referring to the New York Apartment Association’s ad campaign, first reported by POLITICO. “Now, it’s AirBnB spending another million to stop our momentum. Andrew Cuomo is the candidate who will raise your rent, take even more apartments off the market, and serve his donors.”
Lander campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec also responded: “While Andrew Cuomo is funded by huge corporations who are trying to bribe their way into City Hall, Brad Lander is a man of the people and can’t be bought.”
And in a statement, Stringer shot back. “This is not first time Airbnb has spent money to defeat me in my fight for affordable housing,” he said. “I hope they are using my good side in their picture of me. It’s clear with these ads that Airbnb has left the building.”
The super PAC is funded with a $5 million contribution by the San Francisco-based Airbnb. Affordable New York has previously reported spending more than $1 million supporting candidates in City Council primaries. It’s also spending $250,000 boosting New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who’s heavily favored in his reelection race, even though he’s been a vocal critic of the company’s business model, City & State first reported.