License 11-13-2019
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, On June 22, 2016, the Chicago City Council enacted a Shared Housing Ordinance, amending Titles 2, 3, 4 and 17 of the Chicago Municipal Code, in order to regulate the growth in Chicago of short-term rental activity facilitated by the creation of online marketplaces, such as Airbnb and HomeAway, which connect local residents and travelers seeking unique cultural experiences and accommodations, at a competitive price, while they travel. The Ordinance was signed into law by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel on June 24, 2016; and
WHEREAS, A relatively new and emerging business model at the time based on the concept of the "sharing economy" - an economic system in which assets or services are shared between private individuals, either free or for a fee, typically by means of the Internet - Airbnb now boasts more than 500,000 short-term housing stays per night in approximately 65,000 cities and 191 countries worldwide. In Chicago, between July 2017 and May 2018, roughly 5,700 Airbnb hosts successfully applied for a registration number authorizing them to rent their dwelling unit to guests on a short-term basis, and an additional 1,770 decisions were pending; and
WHEREAS, Chicago's 2016 Shared Housing Ordinance was an early attempt by a major municipality in the United States to regulate this burgeoning new industry, and to balance the myriad benefits and problems created by this type of short-term rental activity; and
WHEREAS, It is no easy task to balance the desire of some City residents, who wish to generate extra income for themselves by listing their residence on a platform for short-term rental by guests or who do so for the pure enjoyment of meeting new people from different cultures, against the desire of other City residents, who wish to preserve the tranquility and distinctively residential character of the building or neighborhood they call home or who have legitimate concerns about large-scale investors or tourists overwhelmin...
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