Airbnb permanently bans parties at its rental locations

SAN FRANCISCO — Airbnb is making permanent its ban on parties at homes listed on the site for short-term rentals.

The San Francisco company believes the ban has worked, saying Tuesday that reports of parties at listed properties have dropped 44% from a year ago.

More than 6,600 guests were suspended last year for related violations, Airbnb said.

Airbnb began to crack down on parties in 2019 after a fatal shooting at a party in a house in California. At that time, the company prohibited advertising parties at Airbnb locations on social media.

In Pittsburgh, two teenage boys were killed and eight others injured in a shooting early on Easter Sunday at an Airbnb rental property in the city’s North Side.

About 200 people, many underage, were at a party in the Airbnb rental property when at least one person opened fire, said police spokeswoman Cara Cruz. The gunfire — at least 50 rounds fired inside and just as many outside, police have said — sent people running for cover, with some jumping from windows to escape.

Killed were Mathew Steffy-Ross and Jaiden Brown, both 17. No arrests have been in made in connection with the Pittsburgh shootings. Brown was from North Braddock. Steffy-Ross was from Pitcairn.

The number of parties at Airbnb locations increased during the pandemic, Airbnb said, as people moved gatherings from bars and clubs to rented homes. That led to a temporary ban in 2020.

While making the ban permanent, Airbnb said it will lift a limit of 16 people at rented properties. It said the cap was prompted by health concerns before vaccines against covid-19 were available.

Tribune-Review news editor Ben Schmitt contributed to this report.