More than two years after Los Angeles lawmakers unveiled a proposal to legalize and regulate the popular practice of renting out rooms or whole homes for short stays, the city has yet to pass any new restrictions on Airbnb and similar platforms. For the second time this year, hundreds of people crowded into City Hall on Tuesday for a hearing on the proposed regulations, but a City Council committee held off voting on the plan. Instead, lawmakers asked city staff to report back with additional options, including loosening the proposed rules to allow people to rent out a second home for short stays. Renting out a home or room for less than 30 days at a time is currently illegal in many residential areas of Los Angeles, according to planning officials. But as the phenomenon has exploded with the rise of Airbnb and similar platforms that allow hosts to offer rooms or entire homes to travelers, those rules have rarely been enforced.

Here's the short-term rental dilemma: Websites like Airbnb and VRBO have made vacation rentals and house-sharing incredibly popular by making it easier for travelers to find homey, affordable lodgings and for homeowners to earn extra money by renting out all or part of their dwellings. But short-term rentals are not only illegal in Los Angeles' residential communities, they can create nuisances in neighborhoods and take much-needed housing off the market. Cities in the U.S. and abroad have struggled to manage the resulting boom in short-term rentals. Some cities, such as Hermosa Beach and Ojai, have decided to ban short-term vacation rentals (those less than 30 days) altogether. Mayor Eric Garcetti and members of the City Council have rightfully recognized that the "sharing economy" offers real benefits to residents and the city.