A federal judge has put Chicago's implementation of new home-sharing regulations on hold in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners last month.
The Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday that Judge Sara Ellis told the city to postpone enforcement of the law until Feb. 28. The new rules were previously set to begin on Dec 17.
Among several provisions, the ordinance includes an extra tax on home-sharing hosts, a limit on the number of units that can be rented within a single building, and reporting requirements to city officials about guests who use home-sharing services.
Keep Chicago Livable, a nonprofit representing a group of Chicago Airbnb hosts, sued the city on Nov. 4. The group says the home-sharing law violates Airbnb hosts' constitutional rights to communicate freely on the internet, use their property as they see fit, and be safe from illegal search and seizure.
Benjamin Thomas Wolf, president of Keep Chicago Livable and a plaintiff in the case, applauded the decision to temporarily halt the home-sharing ordinance.
"We now look forward to working alongside our council members and the mayor so that we may collectively create a new and more reasonable law," Wolf said in a statement Tuesday evening. "Most importantly, this outcome allows for the continued protection of our communities and the citizens of Chicago."
Chicago is one of several cities, including New York and San Francisco, that have moved to tighten regulations on Airbnb and similar home-sharing services, citing concerns about discrimination, guest behavior, and the availability of rental housing stock.
Airbnb has not joined the Keep Chicago Livable lawsuit and is prepared to comply with ordinance whenever it goes into effect, company officials said.
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