Airbnb’s Political Power Play,Short-Term Rental Giant Spends Big in 2025 Local Elections
Airbnb Pours Millions Into Local Races as Cities Debate Short-Term Rental Rules
Airbnb, the world’s largest short-term rental platform, has emerged as a significant force in the 2025 local election cycle. The company is spending millions through political action committees (PACs) to influence city council races across the United States. The company’s aggressive political strategy comes as lawmakers in cities like New York, Dallas, and others debate regulations that could dramatically affect Airbnb’s business model and the broader short-term rental market.
Significant Investments in Key Cities
Airbnb’s political involvement is not new, but the scale of its spending in 2025 is unprecedented for an off-year municipal election. The company has doubled its pledge in New York City’s elections from $5 million to $10 million after the city enacted a sweeping ban on short-term rentals. In Dallas, Airbnb-backed PACs injected $500,000 into city council races, targeting candidates who support policies favorable to short-term rentals. The company is also running a $2.2 million campaign in Washington state, with more investments promised in other cities nationwide.
Nathan Rotman, Airbnb’s director of policy strategy for North America, signaled that this is just the beginning:
“Airbnb is just getting started. We will continue to make major investments in primary and general election races in cities and states across the U.S. to support candidates who champion common-sense solutions that address the affordability crisis head on, promote neighborhood safety, and empower homeowners to share their homes,” Rotman stated.
A Battleground for Short-Term Rental Policy
In Dallas, Airbnb’s influence was felt through the Revitalize Dallas PAC, which was formed in late March and received $500,000 from Airbnb as its sole funder3. The PAC sent mailers and ran digital ads endorsing candidates in three open city council races: Maxie Johnson in District 4, Monica Alonzo in District 6, and Erik Wilson in District 8. The endorsements were based on candidate responses to a questionnaire focused primarily on short-term rental policy, housing affordability, and public safety.
The Dallas City Council narrowly passed an ordinance in 2023 banning short-term rentals in over 90 percent of the city’s single-family neighborhoods. Court decisions have since blocked that ban, but the issue remains hotly contested, with ongoing lawsuits and the possibility of renewed legislative efforts.
Craig Murphy, a consultant for Revitalize Dallas PAC, explained:
“The Revitalize Dallas PAC is focused on supporting local Dallas City Council candidates who champion sensible policies, neighborhood safety, and economic opportunity. For the 2025 elections, the PAC is initially endorsing a small number of Dallas city candidates, and the effort will grow in future elections,” Murphy told D Magazine.
Airbnb-Backed Candidates See Mixed Success
At least one of Airbnb’s endorsed candidates in Dallas prevailed: Maxie Johnson won the District 4 seat with nearly 75 percent of the vote. In District 8, Erik Wilson, another Airbnb-backed candidate, advanced to a runoff, keeping Airbnb’s interests alive in the city’s ongoing policy debates. The third endorsed candidate, Monica Alonzo, did not win her race.
These outcomes highlight the potential for corporate spending to shape local elections, especially in off-year cycles where turnout is typically low and campaign contributions can have an outsized impact.
Airbnb’s Political Strategy and Its Critics
Airbnb’s political activism is not limited to Dallas or New York. The company has a history of spending heavily to support candidates and ballot measures favorable to its business. In 2016, Airbnb committed $10 million to a New York PAC as lawmakers considered new restrictions, and in 2015, it spent $8 million to defeat a San Francisco proposition that would have imposed stricter regulations on short-term rentals.
This year, Airbnb has become the single largest spender in New York City’s local elections, with its “Affordable New York” SuperPAC buying ads and mailers supporting a slate of city council candidates and at least one borough president hopeful. The company’s spending draws scrutiny from tenant advocates and the powerful hotel and gaming trades unions, who argue that short-term rentals exacerbate housing shortages and undermine affordable housing efforts.
Bhav Tibrewal, political director for the Hotel Trades Council, dismissed Airbnb’s efforts:
“Airbnb has tried this before and each time their money hasn’t influenced elected officials and candidates who know that dollars don’t vote,” Tibrewal told Gothamist.
Short-Term Rentals, Housing, and Local Control
The core of the political battle centers on how short-term rentals affect housing affordability and neighborhood stability. Critics claim that platforms like Airbnb remove long-term housing from the market, driving up rents and reducing residents' availability. Supporters, including Airbnb and its PACs, argue that short-term rentals empower homeowners, promote tourism, and provide much-needed income for property owners.
The debate has led to a patchwork of regulations across the country. New York City’s 2023 law effectively banned most short-term rentals, while Dallas’s attempted ban is tied up in court. Other cities are watching closely, as the outcome of these local elections could set precedents for future policy battles.
The Mechanics, PACs, Independent Expenditures, and Transparency
Airbnb’s use of PACs and independent expenditure committees allows the company to spend unlimited amounts to support or oppose candidates, so long as these efforts are not directly coordinated with campaigns. This strategy enables Airbnb to sidestep campaign finance limits that apply to individual candidates, amplifying its influence in local races.
Financial disclosures show that the Revitalize Dallas PAC spent nearly $250,000 on advertising and consulting services in the run-up to the election, with all funding coming from Airbnb3. In New York, the Affordable New York SuperPAC has already spent over $600,000 on ads and mailers, with millions more expected before the general election.
Ongoing Battles and Future Elections
Airbnb’s political spending is expected to continue, with company officials promising further investments nationwide in primary and general elections. The results of this year’s local races will likely influence how cities approach short-term rental regulation and may determine whether Airbnb’s preferred policies gain traction.
As the debate over housing affordability and neighborhood integrity intensifies, all eyes will remain on cities like Dallas and New York, where the outcome of local elections could reshape the landscape for short-term rentals for years to come.
Corporate Influence and the Future of Local Governance
Airbnb’s unprecedented spending in the 2025 local elections underscores the growing role of corporate money in shaping municipal policy. While some candidates have benefited from Airbnb’s support, the broader debate over short-term rentals, housing affordability, and local control remains unresolved. As cities grapple with these issues, the influence of well-funded corporate actors like Airbnb will remain a central and controversial feature of America’s local democracy.