INGLEWOOD – The Super Bowl attracts millions of eyeballs every year, and when the Cincinnati Bengals earned a spot in the game, their fans turned their attention to Airbnb in hopes of finding places to stay in the Los Angeles area, according to data released Monday.
According to Airbnb, searches by Ohio-based guests for reservations in Los Angeles increased by more than 2,000% on Jan. 31, the day after the Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC championship game and earned a berth in the Super Bowl.
The Bengals will play the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday.
According to Airbnb, when Atlanta was home to the Super Bowl in February 2019, and the New England Patriots defeated the Rams 13-3, local hosts earned nearly $3.5 million from more than 11,000 guests. There was $180 million in economic activity reportedly generated citywide, according to the company.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, new Airbnb hosts in California with only one listing reportedly earned more than $89 million.
While renting out space for out-of-town guests may seem like a quick way to make a buck, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office warned Monday that there are rules to follow. The office noted that the municipal code makes it “unlawful to list or rent a short-term (for a period of 30 days or less) rental property without a valid city-issued home-sharing permit.”
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office also warned residents who may not be renting out homes or rooms, but plan to host Super Bowl parties. The office outlined the rules governing loud parties, noting that such gatherings can be deemed a public nuisance if any loud or unruly conduct occurs, “such as public intoxication, obstruction of streets, possession and service of alcohol to minors, sale or service of alcohol without a license, urinating in public.”
City codes also bar “loud, unnecessary or unusual noise that interferes with someone’s peace and quiet to an unreasonable degree,” including loud noises from musical instruments, stereos or other amplified devices, noting that no sound-producing device should be audible more than 150 feet from the owner’s property line.
Inglewood enacted a moratorium on short-term rentals Feb. 1 following a mass shooting at an unregulated Airbnb.
Homeowners are desperate for Inglewood to address what they call “illegal” listings that are on the Airbnb platform, without owner approval.
Owners have tried to no end to reach representatives from Airbnb, to have the listings removed, and are met with resistance. The company appears to have no system in place for homeowners to report and remove listings that are in violation of their rental agreement.
Inglewood’s moratorium demands Airbnb remit Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) to the City, and no new listings allowed within 45 days from the day council approved.
For more information on registering your short-term rental, contact the Housing Protection Department at 310-412-4330.
Are you an Inglewood resident with a tenant with an illegal listing on the Airbnb platform? Contact us [email protected].
City News Service contributed to this report.
