Airbnb plans to crack down on Sacramento rentals for parties during summer holidays
Airbnb announced that the company would cut down on parties by banning one-night reservations of entire homes for guests without positive reviews on Memorial Day and July 4 weekends this summer. The policy affects all U.S. markets, including the Sacramento area.
Airbnb parties have sometimes turned violent in the capital region. Just last month, an 18-year-old man was shot and killed at an unauthorized Airbnb party in Elk Grove. In 2020, three people in their 20s were shot at an unauthorized Arden Arcade party. After a 2019 shooting in Fair Oaks that left 19-year-old Chancelor Fields-Colbert dead, Airbnb pursued legal action against the host who booked the rental.
Notably, none of those parties took place during July 4 or Memorial Day.
In addition to blocking one-night reservations for certain poorly-reviewed or un-reviewed guests, Airbnb will also restrict last-minute two-night reservations for some users, according to a news release. People who attempt to make reservations locally will have to attest that they are not hosting a party, and that Airbnb could pursue legal action if they do.
In 2021, Airbnb blocked a similar set of reservations over the weekend of July 4. In Sacramento, the site stopped over 400 accounts from booking a whole house during the holiday weekend.
The company said that people who have a history of positive reviews can still book freely.
This story was originally published May 7, 2022 at 10:52 AM.
