Understanding the challenges faced by New Yorkers comes naturally to me, having been born in Brownsville, one of the city’s most economically disadvantaged areas. Witnessing my neighbors’ struggles to afford basic necessities and pay rent inspired me to dedicate my life to making New York City more affordable for everyone.
When I first ran for the New York City Council, I promised to tackle the issue of affordable housing. At that time, there was widespread concern from tenant groups, housing advocates, and even the hotel industry that platforms like Airbnb were exacerbating the housing shortage. The fear of displacement among my constituents was real, prompting me to support measures to regulate short-term rentals.
During my tenure in the City Council, research indicated that predominantly Black neighborhoods were not benefiting economically from home-sharing, leaving longtime residents behind. As someone dedicated to protecting Black communities from gentrification and inequality, these findings were significant. My colleagues and I decided to act with caution to safeguard tenants and maintain affordable housing.
Two years after the implementation of Local Law 18, the outcomes are evident: while the law has successfully shut down illegal hotels and ensured platform compliance, it has not alleviated the housing crisis. Rent prices remain high, and available housing remains scarce.
Despite New York City having some of the most stringent short-term rental regulations globally, many working families continue to face housing insecurity. This situation serves as a warning to other governments about the unintended consequences such regulations can bring.
I have heard from numerous Black and Latino homeowners in the outer boroughs who say the law has negatively impacted their finances. For many families living in one- or two-family homes, renting out a unit occasionally was not about profit; it was a strategy to manage mortgage payments, retain their property, and ensure generational stability.
During my time in public service, I learned that powerful interests, from hotels to developers, will always find ways to advance their own agendas. In fact, some developers built hotels in low-income communities not to welcome tourists at all, but to skirt zoning rules and later convert those properties into emergency shelters.
True equity comes from centering the voices of everyday New Yorkers, not letting those with the most resources dictate outcomes. Today, those voices are clear: Black and Brown homeowners across the outer boroughs are asking leaders to restore a tool that helps them keep their homes.
The impact of Local Law 18 on New York families is why I now support amending the city’s short-term rental rules. While we should never return to the days of illegal hotels or corporate operators exploiting loopholes, we must find a balance to protect tenants and preserve affordability. I support amending Local Law 18 because responsible, owner-occupant homeowners should be allowed to financially benefit from sharing their home.
My entire career has revolved around making housing more accessible to New Yorkers. Prior to being elected to the New York City Council, I served as a senior advisor to the NYC Housing Authority. And after my time on the City Council, I was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve in the Department of Housing and Urban Development as regional administrator for Region II, which includes New York and New Jersey.
From all of this time spent serving New Yorkers, I have found that there is no single policy that will fix the housing crisis we currently face but we must continue to try to find solutions.
Leadership means delivering for our communities who need us most and protecting them from corporate interests. That’s what we thought we were doing when we passed Local Law 18 and now it’s what we must do by amending this law that has caused so much unintended harm.
I implore the City Council to update the city’s short-term rental rules so New Yorkers can provide for their families and stay rooted in their neighborhoods. I also encourage other public servants to learn from New York City and pass short-term rental legislation that balances punishing bad actors with allowing homeowners to share their home with guests responsibly.
Ampry-Samuel is former City Council member from Brooklyn and a former HUD regional administrator.
