Cambridge Airbnb rentals now restricted to owner-occupied units

The Cambridge City Council has restricted short-term rentals through sites such as Airbnb to owner-occupied units.

The council also mandated that an owner can rent out his or her home in a multifamily building for short periods, plus one other unit in the same structure, provided that the building has fewer than five units.

Short-term rentals in Cambridge are also now subject to safety inspections. Attempts at tighter restrictions failed at an August 7 meeting, per the Globe’s Andy Rosen.

The new regulations are designed to curb virtual hotels in the housing-starved city. They have the support of both Airbnb and the state’s hospitality industry.

• Cambridge restricts short-term rentals to owner-occupied residences [Globe]