The Municipality of Józsefváros has prepared its proposal for the regulation of short-term accommodation services, which is now being submitted for public consultation.
In recent years, the number of short-term accommodation units in Józsefváros has increased, particularly in the inner quarters, raising a growing number of housing, community, and urban management concerns.
The Municipality’s aim is to create regulation that establishes a balance between housing considerations, the interests of local communities, and the economic effect of tourism.
The proposal is not based on a complete ban on short-term accommodation services, but rather on limiting it and making it more transparent.
What Is Short-Term Accommodation?
Short-term accommodation service, often referred to colloquially as “Airbnb”, means renting out a flat or room to tourists or people staying temporarily in the city for a few days or weeks.
The best-known platform is Airbnb, but this also includes short-term accommodation advertised on other online platforms (such as Booking.com or Szallas.hu).
Short-Term Accommodation Services in Józsefváros – Current Situation
In March 2026, a total of 1,760 registered short-term accommodation units were operating, of which 53 were hotels, guesthouses, or hostels, and 1,707 were private and other accommodation units (“Airbnb”).
Short-term apartment rental affected approximately 3.5% of apartments (there are a total of 48,444 apartments in Józsefváros).
The distribution of short-term accommodation units varies greatly between quarters: most are found in the Palotanegyed (Palace Quarter) and Corvin negyed (Corvin Quarter) areas.
What Does the Municipality of Józsefváros Propose?
In the background material, we present several examples and practices of regulation. After reviewing and assessing these, we developed the following regulatory proposal. Read the whole proposal here (available in Hungarian).
The Municipality’s aims are:
- to support the affordability and accessibility of housing,
- to limit the number of short-term accommodation units,
- to create a balance between housing needs, the peace of residents living in the district, and economic considerations,
- to protect residential communities,
- to reduce pressure on already overcrowded quarters, and to allow a number of short-term accommodation units appropriate for each quarter.
The Municipality proposes regulation at three levels:
- district-level,
- quarter-level,
- apartment building-level.
According to the proposal:
- a 4% limit would apply across the entire district,
- different quarters would be subject to different limits (1-6%),
- at apartment-building level, the applying limits would differ between quarters (10-20%).
In addition to the percentage-based restrictions, the Municipality also proposes that new short-term accommodation units could only be established with the approval of the apartment building general assembly. Furthermore, it would be mandatory to indicate on the doors of short-term rentals that accommodation services are operating there, and to display the contact details of the operator as well.
Let us know what you think!
- Complete the online questionnaire below by the 31st of May: https://reszvetel.jozsefvaros.hu/kerdoiv/regulation-of-short-term-accommodation-services-in-jozsefvaros-let-us-know-what-you-think/
- If you represent a professional organisation, please send us your opinion at tarsadalmiegyeztetes@jozsefvaros.hu.