Airbnb’s super PAC is spending $1 million on an ad attacking three mayoral candidates, while the company is also asking city leaders to loosen short-term rental rules.
In the 30-second ad shared by Politico, a narrator warns that Democrats Zohran Mamdani, Scott Stringer and Brad Lander would make life costlier by blocking short-term rentals.
The ad shows a New York Post headline about Mamdani’s proposed tax increase, alongside a message that these candidates reject “common-sense solutions” to lower living costs. It began airing on Monday across streaming, digital, and social platforms.
The ad was made by a group called Affordable New York, which supports Andrew Cuomo. By showing what his rivals believe, the ad makes Cuomo look like a moderate choice.
The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council has backed Cuomo, and their super PAC will put $1 million into his mayoral campaign.
An Airbnb spokesperson said the group could invest another $1 million before the June 24 Democratic primary. But Bhav Tibrewal, the political director for the hotel union, criticized the move. He noted that Cuomo had clashed with unregulated rentals as governor and vowed to protect tenants and workers if elected mayor.
Airbnb pushes for single-family rental exemptions amid union opposition
Airbnb has urged the City Council to exempt one- and two-family homes from strict short-term rental rules, a proposal the hotel union strongly opposes.
Under state law, renting a home for fewer than 30 days when the host is away is illegal. Since 2022, the city has required hosts to register, which has cut many unlawful listings.
Last November, Council Member Farah Louis, backed by Speaker Adrienne Adams, introduced a bill to allow Airbnb in one- and two-family houses. After talks with the hotel union and amid “significant legal concerns,” the council quietly removed key sections of the measure in February, Louis said. Those changes halted the most controversial parts of the plan.
Adams, who is also running for mayor, has not been targeted by Airbnb’s ads. The company appears to focus its criticism on candidates openly opposing its proposed exemptions for small homeowners.
Stringer, who once managed the city’s finances and has often criticized Airbnb, also doesn’t want the short-term rental rules relaxed. All three say that letting Airbnb grow would make housing harder to find and push rents up.
“Affordable New York was set up to back everyday New Yorkers who depend on short-term hosting for income,” said super PAC spokesperson Michael Blaustein. “These candidates keep spreading a misleading story that hosts are causing the housing crisis, despite data showing otherwise. Their rhetoric shields special interests instead of helping New Yorkers.”
Lander’s campaign spokesperson, Dora Pekec, added, “While Andrew Cuomo is funded by huge corporations trying to buy their way into City Hall, Brad Lander is a man of the people and can’t be bought.”
In his own statement, Stringer noted, “This isn’t the first time Airbnb has spent money to defeat me in my fight for affordable housing. I hope they used my good side in their picture.”
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