By Associated Press - Wednesday, December 16, 2020

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Airbnb has suspended nearly 60 listings across North Carolina for violations of its party guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said Wednesday.

In emails to The Associated Press, the company said 21 listings in the Research Triangle area, which includes Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham, were suspended. Also, 17 listings in the Triad, which includes Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point, were suspended, and in Charlotte, 20 listings were suspended, the company said.

“Our actions today address the small minority of hosts who have previously received warnings about hosting responsibly or have otherwise violated our policies,” Viviana Jordan, North Carolina public policy manager for Airbnb, said in a news release in reference to Charlotte.

Airbnb said it received complaints of partying at the suspended locations in Charlotte and the Research Triangle. The specific locations were not identified.

The company announced a global ban on “party houses” in 2019, as well as a hotline through which neighbors could call Airbnb to express their concerns.

“As COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the state, it’s more important than ever that we all do our part to reduce the number of parties and large gatherings that could spread the virus,” Jordan said.

North Carolina has banned large gatherings for the past several months. Gov. Roy Cooper has limited indoor gatherings to 10 people since early November, and outdoor gatherings have been limited to 50 since early October.

Airbnb suspensions have occurred nationwide. The company suspended 80 listings in New Orleans on Monday, and suspended 25 listings in Cleveland in November.

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