Earlier this month, members of the Jersey City short-term rental community announced their Airbnb-backed referendum campaign to challenge an ordinance that could potentially bring this growing economy to a grinding halt. In their minds, there is no question that this ordinance will place them at risk of foreclosure or bankruptcy, jeopardizing their financial futures as well as those of the many thousands more who depend on the short-term rental industry, from their employees to local small businesses.

There’s no question in our minds either. That’s why the New Jersey State Conference and Jersey City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are throwing our full support behind their efforts -- because the financial danger of this ordinance is all too real and stands to wreak particular havoc on communities of color across Jersey City.

Under this ordinance, most tenants across Jersey City are banned from sharing their home as a short-term rental. When you consider that 70 percent of Jersey City residents are tenants, it becomes clear -- in allowing this ordinance to move forward, the mayor and City Council will prevent many of their constituents from making extra money by sharing their homes.

The local short-term rental community has speculated that this is largely at the behest of the New York City-based hotel industry. To us, the reason is of little consequence at this stage -- it’s the effect that is the most important. And in Jersey City, where the majority of tenants are people of color, the result of this provision will be to deny them the economic opportunities of the short-term rental economy going forward.

But there’s an even bigger looming problem afoot in this ordinance. Given the fact that short-term rentals have been legal in Jersey City since 2015, there is no doubt in our mind that there are hundreds of short-term rentals across communities of color citywide. Over the past four years, local residents have even been encouraged to enter the short-term rental economy by this permissive regulatory landscape, along with the chance to make a little extra money to help afford their rent or mortgage.

It makes sense -- communities of color across the country have jumped at the chance to share their homes. Airbnb has reported that some of its fastest growing markets are predominantly communities of color. In New York alone, Airbnb hosts in predominantly African-American communities earned nearly $70 million from home sharing in 2017. Indeed, the NAACP partnered with Airbnb two years ago to “help spread the economic benefits of home sharing” -- in recognition of the power of home sharing offer communities of color unprecedented access to the opportunities in the technology and innovation sectors.

So, with so many Jersey City residents of color currently sharing their homes, have the mayor and the City Council even considered what will happen if they are suddenly forced to abandon their short-term rentals under this ordinance? What of the individuals who have signed a multi-year lease, understandably thinking that they would be able to supplement their rent by sharing a room on Airbnb? With communities of color already especially susceptible to eviction and foreclosure, will this ordinance put hundreds of families at risk of losing their home, or worse? Will they be forced to leave Jersey City altogether?

The fact that such questions remain show that the short-term rental community is well in the right to challenge this poorly considered ordinance -- with such high stakes for their neighbors, the people of Jersey City should have say as to whether this path is the right one for their City.

Perhaps by putting this issue on the ballot, the voters will be able to restore some sense to what should be a rational debate -- and depending on what the people say, we hope the mayor and the City Council will consider starting over and drafting fair regulations for short-term rentals that will not put communities of color in such jeopardy.

In the meantime, we look forward to taking to the streets to both support the short-term rental community and continue to raise these important questions. And we hope that any fellow citizens who share our concerns about the future of Jersey City’s communities of color under this ordinance will join us.