Airbnb usage in Lincoln on Huskers game day skyrocketing, despite city laws

Husker football Saturdays brings in more than 90,000 Husker fans from all over the country.

When all of the hotels fill up in the capital city, a lot of visiting fans look for lodging elsewhere – including the popular website and app Airbnb.

The site allows people to rent out their homes and apartments to visitors. 

But City Attorney Jeff Kirkpatrick says the legality of Airbnb in Lincoln all depends on where your space is located.

Kirkpatrick says many spaces outside of the downtown area can not be legally used by Airbnb hosts.

“The legal and commercial areas like downtown Lincoln where we expect a certain amount of activity 24/7 their legal in a commercial like highway districts where you’re not in a residential area where you are not going to disrupt,” Kirkpatrick said. 

During the 2018 Husker football season, there have been more than 2,900 guests who have used Airbnb when they come to watch the Cornhuskers.

A recent report by Airbnb shows Lincoln hosts brought in over $200,000 this year, and another $100,000 in 2017. 

While technically against city codes, Kirkpatrick says hosts likely don’t need to worry about renting their homes regardless of location.

He says prosecution is rare, and normally only happens after the city receives a formal complaint. 

“If you come in and you respect the neighborhood (it’s) unlikely that we’re going to get a complaint,” he said.