Beginning Sunday, Philadelphia will have a fresh regulatory regime for Airbnb and other short-term rental properties. Since 2015, the city has required many short-term rental owners to obtain zoning permits for businesses operated out of their own homes. Investment properties where a host doesn’t live have always been illegal without a hotel license, although countless people unknowingly broke that law. The new law requires a “limited lodging operator” license for short-term rental hosts who live in the unit. Owners renting properties where they don’t also live must get a hotel license. “This is financially really impacting me because this is 100% of my income,” said Angela Romero, who owns a triplex in East Kensington where she lives in one unit and rents out the other two. “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to live, and it’s giving us a very short time frame for us to figure out how to pivot." The bill was introduced by Councilmember Mark Squilla in February of 2021 and signed by Mayor Jim Kenney in June of that year. Policymakers agreed to delay its implementation until the summer and then again until 2023. Although there may be some pain now, Squilla said, getting everyone licensed and up to code will ensure that there is safe and sufficient housing for the 2026 national semiquincentennial and the World Cup. “We want everybody to be in compliance because we have these big events coming...We cannot keep pushing the ball down the road.” Visit the link in our bio for more details. 📝 by Jake Blumgart / Staff 📸 by @monicaherndon / Staff