{"id":149222,"date":"2026-03-26T17:01:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T17:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/149222\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T17:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T17:01:07","slug":"local-lawmakers-propose-legislation-to-regulate-airbnbs-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/149222\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Lawmakers Propose Legislation to Regulate Airbnbs \u2014 Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK<\/p>\n

As tourism season ramps up ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, a local lawmaker is proposing legislation<\/a> that could reform how short-term rentals are regulated across the state.<\/p>\n

Introduced by state Reps. Lindsay Powell, (D-Allegheny), and Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) on March 25, H.B. 2303, would \u201cestablish countywide registries of short-term rental properties, require the designation of a 24\/7 \u2018person in charge\u2019 for each property, create distinct regulatory categories for homestay operators, vacation rental operators and corporate operators, and implement baseline safety standards across all properties with enhanced requirements for larger-scale operators, according to a press release.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the best parts about short-term rentals is the opportunity they provide. They provide access to so many communities across our commonwealth, allowing each of us to visit areas across Pennsylvania comfortably and easily,\u201d Rep. Powell says in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She adds that the need for reform, however, is great \u2014 and personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last two years, there have been two shootings, with one being fatal, at Airbnbs in my community,\u201d she says, referencing the Easter Sunday shooting<\/a> at an Airbnb on the North Side that left two teenagers dead in 2022 and the New Years Eve shooting<\/a> at an East Deutchtown Airbnb earlier this year. \u201cThis legislation would ensure that a growing part of our economy is regulated both for the safety of guests and for the continuing development of our tourism industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following both shootings, officials have called for reform and additional regulations governing how and to whom Airbnbs can be rented. Following the 2022 fatal shooting, Councilman Bobby Wilson, who represents Pittsburgh\u2019s District 1, which includes the Northside, introduced legislation <\/a>to establish baseline safety standards, clarify oversight and ensure the public knows who is operating the Airbnbs and how to reach them, should the need arise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As of the January shooting, Wilson said that the ordinance was still held up in the courts.<\/p>\n

City Council members also pushed for legislation in February that would require people operating Airbnb\u2019s to obtain a permit from the city, limit how many rentals can operate in one building and ban the units from being used for \u201cpublic assemblies, recreational entertainment, or hospitality activities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The measures would also require a ledger of guests to be kept and require guests to be at least 18 years old unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At present, there are no restrictions on short-term rentals on the books in Pittsburgh, although neighboring boroughs have introduced similar legislation. Millvale <\/a>requires annual registration and limits Airbnbs to specific zoning districts; Swissvale<\/a> does not allow Airbnbs at all within certain districts, such as single family residential districts and the Carrie Furnace Development District.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering this legislation in committee is a significant step toward creating a balanced, responsible future for our communities,\u201d Rep. Daley, chair of the House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee, says in a press release. \u201cBy moving these rules forward, we are fulfilling our promise to protect the character of our neighborhoods while fostering a thriving tourism economy built around safety, accountability and fairness for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

House Bill 2303 will be considered by the committee at a later date. Full video of the hearing, including opening remarks from Powell, can be found here<\/a>.\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK As tourism season ramps up ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, a local…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":49098,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1088,990,393,73,75,74,1096],"class_list":{"0":"post-149222","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pittsburgh","8":"tag-airbnb","9":"tag-city-council","10":"tag-legislation","11":"tag-pittsburgh","12":"tag-pittsburgh-headlines","13":"tag-pittsburgh-news","14":"tag-short-term-rentals"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}