Airbnb Inc., the second-most highly valued San Francisco-based startup, sued its hometown over claims the city’s rental restrictions violate protections for internet companies and its free-speech rights.
The company is hoping to avoid thousands of dollars in daily fines it could face when a new San Francisco law takes full effect next month. The law, passed with a 10-0 vote by the city’s Board of Supervisors, would require Airbnb to make sure that hosts on its platform have registered with the city.