A progress update on the Superhost Relief Fund

[Airbnb]

We announced the $17 million Superhost Relief Fund on March 30th. Our goal with this fund is to help some of the hosts most affected by the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry. 

We have already awarded $7.4 million in grants and are working to get more grants out as swiftly as possible. We are still inviting more hosts to apply, reviewing applications, and awarding grants. Here are more details on our progress. 

Who can apply

We’ve shared eligibility criteria that determine who qualifies for an invitation. We are limiting eligibility to hosts who have lost a significant percentage of their earnings due to COVID-19.

To make this assessment, we compare a host’s earnings from last year to their earnings this year. We look at the percentage of earnings loss, not the total value of losses. This helps ensure we invite hosts who earn at different rates.

How we send invitations

Among the hosts who qualify, we use additional criteria to prioritize invitations. We’re prioritizing hosts who have had Superhost status for a long time. People who have had Superhost status for 4 and 5 years are the first ones getting invited to apply. So far, the average tenure of hosts who have received grants is 4.5 years of hosting on Airbnb.

Who we’ve reached so far

We send a batch of invitations to apply every week. Each batch reaches about 5,000 people. Every host who applies gets a response within 2 weeks. We’ve already invited about 15,000 hosts to apply for a grant, and 68% of those hosts are outside the United States. 

How much we’ve awarded

So far, nearly half the hosts who got invitations have applied; and the majority of hosts who applied received a grant. The grants range from $1,000 to $5,000. We’ve already awarded over $7.4 million in grants. 

What’s next

We estimate we’ll invite about 20,000 hosts to apply for grants from the fund—that means not all Superhost will receive an invitation. The exact number will depend on how many hosts apply and receive grants. We’ll keep going until we grant the entire $17 million. We plan to send out all invitations by the end of May.

We want to thank all the hosts who have used their applications to share their stories with us. We know it’s a difficult time throughout the global community, and we’ll continue to look for ways to provide support. Looking ahead, we’ll be focusing on helping you get back to hosting. That means offering new ways for you to understand booking trends and prepare for guests as travel returns.

[Anna1007]

@Patty168 Do we know anyone to got Superhost Relief?  Because I don't see anyone fessing  up here which makes you wonder?

[Patty168]

No one, unfortunately! 😞

[Sandra126]

Yes, there have been happy hosts who received it, has been noted here on the forum in other threads. Good for them! Ive read about two. 

[Patty168]

Ridiculous! We're not asking for alms! 😞

[Maia29]

@Patty168  Several hosts on a Facebook support group for Airbnb hosts that I am part of have received theirs. They were joking about who received the smallest amount. Someone said that they received $1.60.

[Sarah977]

@Stephanie  "we are prioritising those that are the most in need"

This isn't true! The determination is being based on the percentage of earnings lost between last year and this year. This does not assess need, it's a false equivalency. Host A could have lost far more money than Host B, yet Host A has no mortgage payment, has thousands of dollars in savings, has no dependents to support, and has another job outside of hosting. Host B may have a hefty mortgage to pay, no savings, 3 kids to feed, and no other source of income.

And the first announcement as to who would be eligible for the Superhost fund said absolutely nothing about it being given to long-tenured, i.e. 4 years hosts. It said hosts who had held Superhost for at least one year. That was changed after the fact. Just because Airbnb disappears information they put out when they don't want hosts to be able to find it again, doesn't mean we don't remember what was written in the first place.

[Fred13]

How in heaven's name does Airbnb gets to find out the personal affairs of a host about their mortgage, how many kids they have, savings, prove of or no other income and their overall need? From a response when applying? How would Airbnb even verify all the information given in such applications, on just sheer instincts?

All hosts lost just about 100% of their income overnight because of the Corona Virus for a period of now a few months, and what it really means (the economic impact) to each individual Superhosts it would be nearly impossible to properly ascertain. Why even go there?

Wouldn't have just distributing the original amount via a tier system based on years would have been more helpful and saved Airbnb the need to select winners & losers and get into social tinkering.

[Sarah977]

@Fred13  Of course they can't assess need. I said that right after their announcement of the fund came out. So why present it like that? Just to make it sound like they are going to help out the hosts in the most dire financial circumstances? What's the point of doing that when you, I, and I'm sure many other hosts knew that wasn't possible, and the hosts that fell for it and anticipated getting something because they truly are needy, just end up upset? The company really needs to stop spending time trying to spin everything to make things sound like what they're not, start just being straightforward about how and what they are doing or plan to do and acknowledge that warm and fuzzy "feeling" rhetoric isn't impressing anyone.

[Fred13]

NOW it makes sense, for a minute I was believing it was out of sheer goodness. I still need some training. 😄 

[Sandra126]

I have filled in surveys in the past, @Fred13 , about what percentages come from hosting, other income etc. So there are some records to dip into maybe.

[Marcos498]

I am a month short of the year on the platform and being a superhost since day 1 lost 2 1/2 months of revenue and got nothing from rbnb and also i am still giving full refunds to guest all the way into august due to covid 19 so much for being a nice guy vrbo paid for every reservation during this times im thinking is time to go somewhere else!

[Vicky384]

I'm from Cuba and as many should know the economic situation here it's really hard. @Airbnb  hasn't send me an invitation, at least not yet but we really need the financial help because this is our only money entry and now with the virus we are completely unplugged. I know from a friend of mine who lives in Viñales, Cuba that she has received $3000.I'm so glad for her and her family but why they @Airbnb @ don't divide the money more equitably??? $500 for Cuban it's a lot of money and you could help more people. 

[Fred13]

Unfortunately @Vicky384 is could be the same mentality as these mega lotteries; $400 million to 1 person vs. $500,000 to 800 persons. The mention of $400 million I suppose is better for advertising or promotion.

[Daniel431]

Does anyone still hear the “Hello Superhost” greeting when calling Airbnb?

[Fred13]

No @Daniel431 , probably more like "Oh its you again!".