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Airbnb Hits Airwaves In Fight Against Possible City Hall Regulations

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The battle between home-sharing company Airbnb and Chicago city officials has taken to the airwaves, and that might have drawn the ire of the Emanuel administration.

Facing a possible ordinance restricting home-sharing services like Airbnb, the Internet Association started running ads asking people to call Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The ads feature people like one named Chester, who said renting out his home has helped him make ends meet.

"Home sharing is a non-issue for my neighbors. I've got great neighbors," he said.

However, Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) said regulations are needed to keep home sharing from overwhelming multi-unit buildings.

"If every business took the same attitude as Airbnb, we'd have taverns open until 5, grocery stores with unclean shelves," she said.

An Emanuel administration official told the Sun-Times the ads are not a show of good faith.

A spokesman for Airbnb said the ordinance being discussed now would harm everyday Chicagoans.

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