Hoboken currently has no regulations for short-term rentals. However, because of a recent assault occurring outside a rental property, Hoboken is looking to tighten its oversight and introduce new ordinances regarding short-term rentals.
Compared to its neighbors, Hoboken doesn’t have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Instead, its rental regulations are conducted under the Rent Control Ordinance, Chapter 155. Under state law, short-term rentals are stays of less than 30 consecutive days with hosts complying with local and state laws. Hoboken requires an annual property registration for all owners of residential properties, including single-family homes, condos, and multi-unit dwellings.
The assault happened on October 18 following a disturbance at a short-term rental property on the 500 block of Garden Street. The apartment had a history of complaints about sanitation and noise. While ABC News reported that some of its neighbors stated “the Airbnb-listed unit had been a problem location before,” others claimed that its renters were not a problem. During the incident, officers received information that suggested that someone was barricaded inside with potential hostages. Because of this, a SWAT team was sent and ultimately determined that there were no hostages. Authorities arrested five men, four from Indiana and one from West New York. Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour stated that there is an ongoing, active investigation and there was a gun charge with one of the arrested adults.
In an Instagram post, Jabbour addressed the assault, stating that “I want to emphasize that the safety and quality of life of our residents are the highest priorities for me, my administration, and our entire Public Safety Department.” At the next City Council meeting, she planned to introduce an ordinance that regulates short-term rentals by establishing clearer safety protocols, increasing accountability for property owners, and equipping the Public Safety Department with better tools to monitor those properties.
This is not the first attempt at increased rental regulations. In May, Hoboken issued a request for short-term rental monitoring and compliance services like tracking rental properties and issuing taxes. In 2021, Jabbour co-sponsored an amendment change to City Code Chapter 155 that would prohibit short-term rentals in rent-controlled properties.
On a global scale, the rules for short-term rentals are drastically changing. Airbnb announced updates to its house rules, which include holding homeowners more accountable by limiting the number of checkout chores, like washing dishes, that the host requires guests to complete. Tasks that require a significant amount of effort or time, like stripping beds, would be off-limits as guest requests. Additionally, the new policy requires hosts to be upfront about their house rules at the time of booking.
In an interview with CNN, an Airbnb spokesperson said that house rules are intended to help guests understand the host’s expectations but can be confusing. These policies were designed to alleviate any confusion and keep requests reasonable. These new policies will be applied to all reservations booked after November 20.
Between the new policies enacted by Airbnb and increased short-term rental regulation proposal, the future of short-term rentals in Hoboken may look very different from now on.
