Airbnb arrived in New York City as part of a class of “disrupter” startups, promising to upend the city’s hotel industry. But the government has responded to the disruption by making it harder for people to rent out their homes legally: with new laws and increased enforcement.

Now, one lawmaker says it’s time for a new approach. Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn) proposed a bill that would create a registry to enable “hosts” to make their rentals legal and pay taxes.

“Airbnb is here to stay. And I know all the objections people have raised. I am confident this bill will try to meet every objection that people have had,” Lentol said. He said he had a change of heart about the website after meeting constituents who depend on Airbnb for their livelihood.

The bill was written with input from Airbnb. On Tuesday, Airbnb hosts will rally in Albany in support of the legislation.

In the meantime, New York City is increasing enforcement against hosts. A law passed in 2016 penalizes not only short term rentals of whole apartments, but also the online listings advertising those apartments.

The Office of Special Enforcement says it's issued about 130 violations for online listings since January.

And for the first time, a violation has been paid (the first-time penalty is $1,000), with the listing removed from the web. The violation went to the owner of a garden apartment in the East Village. 

Zack Lane reported the listing to inspectors several months ago, after growing increasingly frustrated by the loud parties he was hearing across the courtyard.

On Friday, Lane received a phone call from Christian Klossner, the head of the Office of Special Enforcement. Klossner thanked Lane for his tip. The two men talked for about 20 minutes.

“I was completely blown away!” Lane said. “What was even more surprising is he gave me his personal cell phone number and told me to be in touch if it ever happened again."