San Francisco Ballot Measure Takes Aim At Its Own Airbnb

Published October 27, 2015 at 12:52 PM CDT

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Michael Rouppet poses for photos at Alamo Square Park, Oct. 20, 2015, across the street from the home he was evicted from in San Francisco. Travelers worldwide love using Airbnb to book vacation stays in San Francisco, but some in the city where the company was founded are decidedly less affectionate, backing a Nov. 3 ballot measure that would limit how long a private home can be rented out. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Airbnb, which allows users to rent out their own homes online, is in the middle of a political fight in San Francisco, the same city in which the company is headquartered.

As home prices have skyrocketed there in the last few years, many in part blame those short-term rentals, and a ballot initiative set for next week seeks to limit them to 75 days a year. It would also require hosts to file quarterly reports with the city.

The company is spending millions to fight the initiative, called Proposition F, including in a much-criticized advertisement campaign for which the company later apologized.

Continuing Here & Now’s week-long series in San Francisco, host Jeremy Hobson speaks with Noah Kulwin of Re/code for a look at Prop F and what may lie ahead.

Guest

Noah Kulwin, associate editor at Re/code. He tweets @nkulw.