Paris city authorities have reacted angrily to what they call a

“risky” deal between the Olympic committee and the short-

term tourist rental company Airbnb.
Officials in the French capital, which will host the 2024
summer Games, blame Airbnb for causing a shortage of long-
term rental property in the city, pushing up rents and forcing
the middle class out.
The mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has expressed her “total
determination” to rein in the website and has threatened to
ban it in certain areas of central Paris.
The French capital is one of Airbnb’s biggest markets with an
estimated 60,000 listings – up from just 4,000 in 2012. The
company signed a nine-year sponsorship deal with the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday.
Hidalgo, a Socialist who is seeking re-election as mayor next
year, has already introduced measures forcing Airbnb owners
to limit rentals to 120 nights a year and to register their
properties with City Hall, which is taking legal action seeking
a €12.5m fine against the company for failing to punish those
who fail to do so.
In a letter to the IOC’s head, Thomas Bach, before Monday’s
deal, Hidalgo had warned that any tie-up would be “risky”.
“By removing a significant number of lodgings from Paris,
Airbnb contributes to rising rents and worsens the shortage of
apartments on the rental market, at a cost for all Parisians, in
particular the middle class,” Hidalgo wrote. She also accused
Airbnb of “destabilising local businesses and competing
harshly with traditional hotels”.
The mayor has threatened to severely curb and even ban
short-term tourist rentals in parts of the city if tighter
restrictions are not put into place. Last month, the French
upper house, the Sénat, approved a measure allowing local
authorities across the country to reduce this to between 60
and 120, but the move is unlikely to pass the Assemblée
Nationale.
Jean-François Martins, the deputy mayor in charge of sports
and tourism, said if Hidalgo was re-elected City Hall would
organise a “referendum” immediately after next year’s
elections so Parisians could decide “the conditions for Airbnb
usage” in the city.
“She believes that Airbnb has a nefarious impact on housing.
Parisians will have the choice of several options, including the
possibility of banning Airbnb in certain areas,” he said.
Joe Gebbia, Airbnb’s co-founder, said the IOC partnership
“will ensure that the Games are the most inclusive, accessible
and sustainable yet”.
Ian Brossat, the deputy mayor in charge of housing, said he
regretted the IOC’s choice of partner “at a time when many
cities in Europe and the world are fighting back against
Airbnb”.
He added it was “totally irresponsible given the disastrous
consequences Airbnb has had on our towns and cities”.
“We are dealing with a company that doesn’t have the means
to pay its taxes in France but can find the means to sign a deal
with the IOC,” Brossat added.