Last month, D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie proposed legislation to regulate the homesharing platform Airbnb. This bill would broadly impact the rights of D.C. renters and homeowners to use their private property for extra income and would hurt visitors traveling to the city. The supposed intent of such a bill is to protect the limited housing stock in Washington from commercial exploitation and keep rental prices down.

There is no evidence, however, that more regulation will accomplish these goals, particularly given that Washington currently fails to enforce existing rules designed to curtail the same problems. Adding complexity to an already confusing system won’t solve Washington’s housing challenges. Instead, it will harm the very renters it seeks to help.