CHICAGO CITY HALL (WBBM Newsradio) -- The top official lawyer for the city of Chicago said she filed suit against Airbnb and the owner of a dozen properties listed on the short-term rental website as a response to more than 200 citations in two years.
The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court names Airbnb, local operator Slumber Stay LLC, and its manager in Chicago.
City of Chicago Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson Lowry said "the vast majority" of Airbnb owners in the city work to make sure they comply with the city's short-term rental ordinances, which were first approved in 2016. However, she alleges Slumber Stay is a different story.
"For the years 2024 and 2025, the city cited this particular operator over 200 times," Richardson Lowry said, about complaints ranging from trashed units, loud noises, and disturbances in the neighborhood to units that were not properly registered with the city.
However: "The operator admitted fault, paid fines and continued to act in contravention to the ordinance," she said. So the city's taking them to court.
The lawsuit also accuses Airbnb of not doing enough to make sure that Slumber Stay operated according to city ordinances. We've asked Airbnb for a response to the lawsuit.
Lawsuit cites numerous violations of "short-term rental" ordinances
Lawsuit cites numerous violations of "short-term rental" ordinances
