Airbnb suspends dozens of Arizona listings for party fouls

PHOENIX – Airbnb has taken action against dozens of Arizona properties for violating the rental service’s ban on parties during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said Tuesday.

Seventy listings and five major travel destinations are currently suspended in Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, Airbnb said in a press release. The company didn’t release addresses because of privacy concerns.

“We’re concerned about any disturbances to neighbors, but we’re also concerned about the safety of the people inside those homes and we know how this virus can be transmitted,” Ben Breit, Airbnb head of trust and safety communications, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

In August, the company initiated a global ban on disruptive parties and events and capped occupancy at 16 guests per location to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Violators, both guests and hosts, are subject to suspensions and bans from the platform and potential legal action, according to the release.

Airbnb had already banned party house rentals in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, to address nuisance complaints from neighborhood residents.

In July 2020, the company said it had suspended or removed 50 Arizona listings over party rule violations.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.

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