At its meeting yesterday the Boston City Council on an 11-2 vote passed new regulations on short-term rentals which officials hope will ease the city's tight housing market.

Owners and owner-occupants of 2- and 3-family houses will be permitted to continue to rent rooms to transients, but renters and absentee landlords will not.

Mayor Walsh says he will sign the Council's bill into law.

This is probably the toughest short-term-rental legislation yet existing in any major city. Prior to the City Council vote, Airbnb had sent an e-mail blast to its landlords and customers urging them to voice dissent to Mayor Walsh - but Councilor Michelle Wu and others concerned about the shortage of affordable housing in Boston seem to have prevailed.

Good on Mayor Walsh, Councilor Wu and others who voted in favor of the bill.