AIMCO sued Airbnb in 2017 after some of its tenants in upscale LA apartments complained about Airbnb tourists making noise, damaging property and putting residents at risk. It hoped to bar Airbnb from listing any of its properties. Airbnb already has terms of service that requires rental hosts to obey lease agreements and local laws, but that clearly hasn't stopped some customers.

Airbnb is unsurprisingly happy with the outcome. The decision lets it "continue to support tenant hosts" who use rentals to "help pay the bills," according to a statement (you can read it in full below). It also used the remark to take a not-so-subtle dig at AIMCO, arguing that "forward-looking landlords" could join its Friendly Buildings Program to make money alongside their tenants.

The verdict won't help the tenants themselves, since they did break their leases. Moreover, it won't address gripes from apartment dwellers concerned that their buildings are becoming makeshift hotels, which tends to drive up rental rates and spur complaints. However, it could prompt greater clarity from landlords. If their agreements do forbid Airbnb-style rentals, they may be more likely to explicitly warn tenants knowing that they can't sue Airbnb for compensation.