Making ends meet in New York City can look a little different for everyone. For some New Yorkers, it’s renting out an extra room or unit in their home.

Erica Marcano is a native Brooklynite trying to stay in the neighborhood she grew up in. A recent nightmare experience with a random roommate put her at risk of not being able to afford her apartment until she got into short-term rentals.

“Airbnb basically serves as having a roommate for me. It pays half the rent, half the utilities for the second bedroom,” said Marcano.

Marcano said she rents out her second bedroom a couple of times a month. Her listing is popular for its separate entrance, close proximity to Manhattan and for its neighborhood feel.

However, things could get a little more complicated for Marcano under Local Law 18, which went into effect earlier this month.

The law established new requirements for short-term rentals, including a registration process. However, how the registration system will work is still being figured out.

So far, some of the proposed rules include providing personal information on everyone residing in the rental, providing a diagram of the rental, and proof that a host resides at the listing.

One of the more controversial proposals is an option for landlords and co-op boards to apply to a prohibited building list.

City officials say the law is meant to free up much-need housing units.

“We can’t afford to have the city’s housing stock be used as private hotels for individuals,” said Klossner.

Supporters of the law note that a revolving door of temporary guests is an issue for neighbors.

City officials noted the prevalence of illegal rentals.

“A legal short-term rental is when you are hosting no more than two people in your home while you’re living there at the time and they need to be maintaining a common household so they need to have access to full parts of the dwelling unit,” said Klossner.

However, some hosts say the requirements and their implementation is an overreach.

“How dare they kind of come into your house and tell you how to use your space,” said Gia B., who runs a short-term rental out of her family home in Brooklyn.

Gia and her husband Paul are musicians who started using Airbnb amid the pandemic when shows dried up. They use the income from their listing — a garden level apartment — to supplement their housing costs.

“This money has definitely kept us right there,” said Paul. “We’re not living high on a hog. We have property. We have our home, that’s it.”

City officials estimate that over 10,000 illegal short-term rentals are in operation across the city.

The mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement will hold a hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the proposed rules. For more information on the hearing visit: https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/rule/registration-and-requirements-for-short-term-rentals/