Hinchey, Fahy Gather Coalition to Call for Short-Term Rental Registry in the Final State Budget

April 4, 2024

Hinchey/Fahy Bill Backed by NYSAC, NYCOM, Housing Advocates, Tourism and Hospitality Sectors Will Increase Transparency in Short-Term Rental Market to Address New York’s Housing Crisis

ALBANY, NY – As negotiations on the FY’25 State Budget continue, Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Patricia Fahy are urging the inclusion of their bill (S885B/A4130) to create New York’s first statewide Short-Term Rental Registry in the final housing deal.

The statewide short-term rental registry would be overseen by the Department of State and provide a comprehensive overview of this expanding hospitality sector. Under the bill, property owners would register their units with the state every two years, and municipalities with their own registries would maintain their systems and share information with the state quarterly. The registry would also generate monthly reports on local short-term rental markets. Municipalities could choose to receive these reports, which would include information on the number and locations of short-term rentals and the nights occupied. The measure would also enable municipalities to start collecting sales tax on short-term rentals.

Hinchey and Fahy were joined on Tuesday in Albany by lawmakers, municipal leaders, housing advocates, tourism promotion agencies and the hospitality industry, including Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, Assemblymembers Carrie Woerner and Jonathan Jacobson, City of Albany Mayor and Board President of the NYS Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) Kathy Sheehan, Deputy Albany County Executive Mike McLaughlin on behalf of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, and Political Coordinator of For The Many, Daniel Atonna. Supporters from the hospitality and tourism sectors included the President of the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association, Mark Dorr, President & CEO of the NYS Tourism Industry Association, Bob Provost, President & CEO of Discover Albany, Jill Delaney, President & CEO of This is Cooperstown Cassandra Harrington, and President & CEO of Campground Owners of New York Emily Simmons.

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “The need for a Short-Term Rental Registry in New York is undeniable. Across our state, affordable housing is severely scarce and, in most communities, impossible to find. The surge in STRs has only worsened the crisis, strangling our limited housing supply, driving rents through the roof, and pricing families out of their own communities. Our proposal for a statewide Short-Term Rental Registry is an essential tool that will give towns and cities critical information and new revenue streams so they can tailor their approach to housing based on the needs of their community, all while supporting residents who open their homes for short-term stays for extra income. That’s why our bill is part of both the Senate and Assembly one-house budgets and why municipal leaders, the hospitality and tourism sectors, housing advocates, business councils and chambers of commerce support it. Solving the housing crisis means using every tool in our toolbox, and a statewide short-term rental registry is one of the most urgently needed solutions on the table.”

“New Yorkers are experiencing a housing crisis while short-term rental platforms continue to remove available units from our housing market,” said Assemblymember Patricia Fahy “This legislation levels the playing field for hotels and motels by imposing sales tax on short-term rentals, creates the first statewide Short-Term Rental Registry to improve transparency and remove a burden off local governments, and grows housing supply for communities and residents at a time when it’s needed most. This year, we can provide basic accountability, oversight, and transparency to this industry while ensuring that New York’s communities have the resources and tools necessary to regulate short-term rental units, expand housing, and capitalize on our growing tourism sector.”

Senator Liz Krueger said, “Every short-term rental in this state is a housing unit that is unavailable for a New York family. In the middle of a desperate shortage of affordable housing, the explosion of short-term rentals is compounding the crisis. New York City’s registration system has been very successful at curbing illegal rentals and giving the city critical data for tracking and enforcement; a statewide system would do the same. I thank Senator Hinchey and Assemblymember Fahy for taking the lead on this critical issue.”

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing said, “Having braved the Airbnb battles in New York City, I know just how crucial it is to regulate short-term rentals statewide and save our communities from the harms an unregulated and untaxed system creates. If left unchecked, the short-term rental industry will continue to turn neighborhoods and communities into enclaves of unregulated tourist lodging. I am incredibly proud that the Assembly one-house budget proposal included legislation to create a statewide registration system that would provide localities with information on the locations of short-term rentals, set up a taxation system and preserve communities' character and charm. MI applaud Assemblymember Fahy and Senator Hinchey for tackling this issue head on and look forward to working with them in my role as Housing Chair to ensure the passage of this legislation into law."

Senator Gustavo Rivera said, “One of the defining components of our State’s housing cross is the lack of permanently affordable housing stock. Along with rising rents, there is an alarming increase of housing units being converted into short-term, transient accommodations across the State. The bill championed by Senator Hinchey and Assemblymember Fahy will create a first-of-its-kind statewide guidance for short-term rentals, including a rental registry, to ensure municipalities have the necessary information and tools to help them regulate this market to their specific local needs."

Assemblymember Anna Kelles said, “We are all aware of the increasing difficulties caused by lack of housing, and we must take action to address the housing crisis in New York State, which includes regulating the proliferation of short-term rentals. By implementing a statewide registry and tax collection system for short-term rentals, we are taking a crucial step towards preserving our housing stock for residents while still supporting the economic benefits of tourism. This bill provides much needed statewide guidance to empower and support municipalities in managing their housing markets, ensuring that our communities thrive while protecting local residents. Not only will this bill help seniors on a fixed income, but also will support those who are housing burdened stay in their homes.”

Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, “The surge in short-term rentals has intensified New York's housing crisis. By establishing a short-term rental registry, we can provide our municipalities with a true assessment of their available long-term housing stock. The registry will inform local planning efforts and equip our communities to make practical decisions regarding their oversight and taxation of the short-term rental market.”

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Board President of the NYS Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) said, “Short-term rentals provide an economic boost to our communities but they should also be held to the same standards as long-term rentals and hotels. Senator Hinchey’s and Assemblymember Fahy’s legislation would do just that. It’s due time for the City of Albany and other cities across the state to have the authority to require owners of short-term rentals to register their properties, provide contact information in case of emergency, hold a minimum level of insurance, ensure there is a fire extinguisher on-site, and help fund the necessary municipal resources needed to keep their visitors safe.”

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “In Ulster County, we are confronted with a severe shortage of housing, and there is no question that the proliferation of short-term units has been a contributing factor, with some communities seeing as much as 9% to 10% of their housing stock converted to STRs. The legislation proposed by Senator Hinchey and Assembly Member Fahy would go a long way toward bringing real transparency to the STR market, and would also ensure that hosts pay their fair share of taxes while helping local governments more effectively enforce any local STR regulations to protect housing for their residents. I strongly support this legislation, and urge the Governor and Legislature to include the bill in the enacted State Budget.”

“I am proud to support the Short-Term Rental Registry bill’s inclusion in this year's State Budget,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and Board President of the NYS Association of Counties. “Regulating the short-term rental market is essential to ensure fairness, accountability, and the well-being of our communities. This is an important step towards addressing housing affordability and supply in Albany County and across New York State.”

Mark Dorr, President of the NYS Hospitality & Tourism Association, said, “This year, the Senate and Assembly made a statement that has resonated nationwide that unregulated short-term rental businesses need to be equal participants in the state's economy. Tourism is the state's third-largest industry, and it inexplicably has rooms being rented to guests outside of the constructs of state law. Creating a simple, online registration process for short-term rentals is a commonsense approach that allows State residents to know who is operating short-term rentals in their communities, ultimately collect sales and occupancy taxes, and provide common sense safety and security requirements. Through the collection of occupancy taxes, localities and regions will be better equipped to promote all of the great tourism resources the Empire State has to offer.”

Bob Provost, President & CEO of the New York State Tourism Industry Association, said, “The New York State Tourism Industry Association strongly supports the proposed Short-Term Rental Registry legislation. The legislation, if enacted, would enable municipalities to better monitor the development and impact of the short-term industry on their communities. The tourism industry acknowledges the important role that short-term rentals have in generating and sustaining tourism in our communities. However, left unchecked and unregulated, the short-term industry fails to shoulder their share of much-needed financial support through sales, occupancy, and other tax revenues. Additionally, left unregulated and operating unchecked, short-term rentals can pose a potential risk to the health and safety of both guests and residents and ultimately also pose a threat to housing affordability for residents/the local workforce, threatening the very viability of a community. It is our position that the unregulated short-term rental industry in New York State cannot continue without proper oversight and basic accountability. Currently, no other industry can operate like this statewide. We (NYSTIA) strongly support this legislation.”

Jill Delaney, President & CEO at Discover Albany, said, “As the Destination Marketing and Management Organization for Albany County, and in conjunction with our tourism colleagues across New York State and our hotel partners through NYSHTA, we fully support the creation of a Short-Term Rental Registry. We want Short-Term Rentals to remain available for our visitors, but not at the cost of local housing availability or the safety of our guests. This registry will ensure that our local governments can more effectively manage their housing inventory and, when needed, can deploy emergency services to homes serving as rental properties that are not currently identified as a business.”

Lukee Forbes, Campaign Manager for the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition said, “In the face of soaring rent prices and the consequential displacement of families in Hudson and across New York, it's paramount that we take action. The proposed Short-Term Rental (STR) Registry, sponsored by Senator Hinchey, is a beacon of hope for our communities. By providing transparency and regulation to the hospitality sector, this registry not only ensures fair taxation but also empowers local communities with essential information and revenue. It's time we safeguard the housing stability of families by implementing a robust registration system for short-term rentals in New York State.”

Daniel Atonna, Political Coordinator at For the Many, said, “The Hudson Valley is in a housing crisis. It is increasingly unaffordable for renters and first-time homebuyers. A major contributing factor is absentee investors and big tech companies like Airbnb turning our neighborhoods into unregulated hotels. NY must create a comprehensive taxation and registration system for short-term rentals, which municipalities can then build on to enact further regulations to ensure our housing stock is preserved for long-term residents. We fully support Senator Hinchey’s short-term rental registry bill and call on the Legislature to include it in the state budget.”

S885B/A4130 is supported by over thirty municipal and housing advocacy organizations, business councils, chambers of commerce, and tourism and hospitality associations, including the following:

Municipal Organizations