Powell: ‘Now is the time for short-term rental reform’
Comes in response to shooting at party hosted at local Airbnb
Allegheny County Delegation January 7, 2026 | 12:48 PM
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 7 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny, issued the following statement in response to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police opening an investigation into a non-fatal New Year’s Eve shooting in which a woman was struck by gunfire inside her Constance Street home. The shots reportedly came from a neighboring Airbnb that was being used for a party.
“We are witnessing the consequences of unregulated short-term rentals in our community,” said Powell, co-chair of the bipartisan Pennsylvania Housing Caucus. “The absence of clear rules governing these properties has led to dangerous situations and unnecessary chaos -- this incident could have had far more serious consequences.
“This tragedy underscores what has been clear for some time: now is the time for short-term rental reform. That is why Representative Mary Jo Daley and I will soon be introducing legislation to establish a clear, statewide regulatory framework for short-term rentals.
“This legislation will bring transparency and accountability to an industry that has operated in the shadows for far too long, while still supporting responsible hosts. It establishes baseline safety standards, clarifies oversight, and ensures that local governments and first responders know who is operating these properties and how to reach them -- helping protect communities and making tragedies like this far less likely.”
This incident marks the second recent local shooting tied to an Airbnb in the area. The Constance Street home is just blocks away from the site of an April 2022 shooting at an Airbnb-hosted party that left two teenagers dead and eight others injured.
Powell and Daley have previously introduced two bills, HBs 2082 and 2083, to increase transparency and accountability in the short-term rental market.