Airbnb will appeal federal court's decision on short-term rentals in New Orleans

Airbnb said it plans to appeal a federal court decision that upheld nearly all of New Orleans’ tough short-term rental rules.

The decision, made last week in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, marked the latest chapter in the city’s long fight to rein in vacation rentals, which city officials argue have made housing less affordable and eroded the character of neighborhoods.

Judge Jay Zainey dismissed most of the claims brought by Airbnb and local property owners, siding with the City Council on an ordinance that includes permitting caps, verification rules and block-by-block limits. His lone exception was a finding that some of the city’s reporting mandates —requiring Airbnb to turn over transaction and revenue data — ran afoul of constitutional protections agains