Push Admin

Swiss city Lucerne votes to restrict Airbnb rentals

Article (news)

Agence France Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A photo illustration shows the app icon of US online rental vacation company Airbnb (C) displayed on a mobile phone in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany, 04 February 2021 (issued 05 February 2021). EPA-EFE/MATTIA SEDDA" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/08/03/20220803-airbnb-epa.jpg"/><figcaption>A photo illustration shows the app icon of US online rental vacation company Airbnb (C) displayed on a mobile phone in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany, 04 February 2021 (issued 05 February 2021). <em>EPA-EFE/MATTIA SEDDA</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>GENEVA, Switzerland - The Swiss city of Lucerne voted Sunday to limit short-term rentals, including on the Airbnb platform, to a maximum of 90 days a year.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/17/22/as-recession-looms-airbnb-ceo-wants-your-home-to-make-money">As recession looms, Airbnb CEO wants your home to make money</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/18/22/the-most-popular-airbnb-destinations-in-ph-are">What are the most popular Airbnb destinations in the Philippines?</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/10/03/22/marjorie-barrettos-vacation-house-is-now-on-airbnb">Marjorie Barretto&#x27;s vacation house is now on Airbnb</a></li></ul><p>Just over 64 percent of voters in the picturesque city in central Switzerland were in favour of the restriction tabled by the leftwing Social Democrats.</p><p>Backers of the initiative said it aimed to cap large-scale temporary rentals by commercial providers and to free up living space for residents of Lucerne, which is facing a significant housing crunch.</p><p>Opponents had warned it risked harming tourism in the city, which is one of Switzerland&#x27;s main tourist destinations.</p><p>The local government had presented a watered-down counter proposal, which would have restricted the percentage of short-term rentals within non-touristy neighbourhoods, but it failed to get sufficient backing.</p><p>The left hailed the vote, with the national Socialist Party&#x27;s co-president Cedric Wermuth describing it on Twitter as a &quot;fantastic victory against the real estate lobby&quot;.</p><p>With Sunday&#x27;s vote, Lucerne will become the latest of a number of European cities that have taken steps to limit the effect of the Airbnb home rental platform on the housing market.</p><p>In Switzerland, caps on short-term subletting to holidaymakers are already in place in the western regions of Geneva and Vaud.</p><p>Participation in the Lucerne vote, which was just one of a slew held on local and regional issues across Switzerland Sunday as part of the country&#x27;s direct democratic system, stood at 34.6 percent. </p><div><strong>nl/ea</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

The Swiss city of Lucerne voted Sunday to limit short-term rentals, including on the Airbnb platform, to a maximum of 90 days a year.