Summary
The county wants to make Airbnb and VRBO hosts pay the same 6.5% occupancy tax hotels pay — worth just under $1 million a year. Lawmakers fought over whether small owner-occupied hosts should be exempt; the exemption wasn't adopted and the law advanced 6-2.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 6
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed May 11, 2026.
Impact analysis
Roughly $1 million a year in new county revenue, collected quarterly by individual hosts.
Hotels and county tourism/economic development funding, plus the county's general fund.
Short-term rental hosts, including small owner-occupied operators, who must register, collect, and remit the tax quarterly.
Mentions & discussions (6)
County Legislature — May 11, 2026
The county adopted a 6.5% tax and mandatory registry for short-term rentals like Airbnbs, drawing mixed reactions from residents who supported neighborhood oversight but worried about administrative burdens on small owners.
Audit and Finance Committee — April 30, 2026
The county wants to make Airbnb and VRBO hosts pay the same 6.5% occupancy tax hotels pay — worth just under $1 million a year. Lawmakers fought over whether small owner-occupied hosts should be exempt; the exemption wasn't adopted and the law advanced 6-2.
Law Committee — April 29, 2026
The county is moving forward with a 6.5% hotel tax on short-term rentals and a registry system, sparking debate over whether small-scale residential hosts should be exempted.
Law Committee — March 25, 2026
Albany County wants to level the playing field by making Airbnbs and other short-term rentals pay the same 6.5% occupancy tax hotels pay. A new registry would also track where short-term rentals are and how much housing stock they use.
Audit and Finance Committee — February 26, 2026
A local law amending the county's hotel and short-term rental occupancy tax was tabled because the draft isn't finished. The sponsor expects a vote next month and asked members to send questions.
Law Committee — February 25, 2026
A local law would update the county's hotel occupancy tax to cover short-term rentals like Airbnb. It was tabled so legislators can review a revised draft and get answers to their questions.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Albany County
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.