Tourists Are Grabbing Homes, and Cities Are Starting to Fight Back

Tourists Are Grabbing Homes, and Cities Are Starting to Fight Back From Hawaii to Cape Town, popular tourist destinations are taking aggressive action to reclaim housing from the short-term rental market, aiming to stem a severe affordability crisis that is displacing local workers. In a dramatic move, Hawaii's governor has ordered the conversion of 10,000 short-term rental units into local housing [61634]. The plan will "return" thousands of condos and houses currently used for vacation rentals to the long-term rental market, directly targeting a housing shortage officials blame for driving residents away [61634]. The conflict is stark in Cape Town, South Africa, where a surge in tourism and platforms like Airbnb has sent property prices and rents soaring in the central business district [39353]. This forces essential service workers into illegal and unsafe housing on the city's outskirts, creating a stark divide between luxury tourist villas and informal metal shacks in coastal areas [117472]. City officials acknowledge the crisis, noting the challenge of balancing tourism revenue with residents' needs [117472]. The phenomenon highlights a global pattern where the economic benefits of tourism create a severe housing shortage for local communities [39353]. In response, governments are beginning to use new laws and tax rules to shift the balance [61634]. The success of these measures is seen as critical to keeping cities affordable for the people who live and work in them year-round [61634]. Hawaii to Seize 10,000 Vacation Rentals in Housing Crisis Move Tourism Boom Pushes Workers Into Illegal Homes Tourists in Luxury, Locals in Shacks: Cape Town's Coastal Divide