DC Inauguration safety

[Gretchen4]

My unit is occupied, but I am curious what ABB is doing to help prevent violence in DC area neighborhoods in the coming week? How are hosts able to screen for potentially dangerous guests? And how can ABB and law enforcement support hosts who may wish to cancel stays given recent unrest in the Capital and local assaults and vandalism from ABB guests since November?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Gretchen4 What on earth do you expect a listing platform to do? 

[Lorna170]

@Gretchen4   If you have concerns about who you are renting to during the time leading up to and after the inauguration, you can choose to cancel your guests, but don't expect special treatment from the listing platform.  You are making a personal choice.  

My son lives in DC.  His landlady rents rooms in the same townhouse that he lives in on Airbnb.  She has blocked her ad, cancelled and refunded all guests well into February.  AirBnB did not offer her anything, nor did she expect anything.  She made a choice. 

[Anonymous]

@Gretchen4  In the lead-up to the Charlottesville tragedy, it was in the news that Airbnb banned several members who were visibly involved in extremist hate groups online. But they were low-hanging fruit. America is a powder keg now, and no background check or screening can decisively predict whether someone is going to get involved in mob violence when the fuse gets lit. That would be like something out of "Minority Report."

If a host received evidence that their guest specifically intended to commit violence or criminal activity during their stay, I have no doubt that Airbnb would grant them a penalty-free cancellation. Otherwise, I'd expect the usual penalties to apply. 

[Gretchen4]

I was just posting this because ABB does talk about supporting BLM, but like many hosts people may truly need all the revenue they can get. I know I do right now. I guess I was thinking that as a company they would alert hosts about potential danger, not that anyone would openly admit affiliations with rioters. I was able to join a local FB host group and was pleased to learn that some DC area hosts had guests who did come to town for the Jan. 6 rally. Their guests left the rally once they saw the intent to storm the Capital. These hosts mentioned having civil conversation with guests who did not destroy any property. I was happy to hear that as someone who comes to hosting after experiencing exchange student travel and hosting, pre-dating the founding of ABB.  But I have noticed more concern with a bottom line and less with what I consider original values of the platform.

[Anonymous]

@Gretchen4  Handing the keys to your house over to a stranger from the internet has always been dangerous, and always will be. I haven't yet encountered any evidence that hosts in the DC metro will be at any greater risk on inauguration day than they are on all the other days of the year. 

For what it's worth, Germany currently has a travel advisory out warning citizens against traveling to DC, but in severity it pales in comparison to the concurrent warning against traveling to the US altogether, due to it being far and away the world's worst hotspot for Covid-19. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Anonymous The USA is actually about seventh on the list of covid hotspots. Current leader is Ireland.

[Helen3]

If you host in the area, unless they are guests you have hosted before, I would ask Airbnb to cancel penalty free over the next few weeks @Gretchen4 

[Mandrake-And-Karen0]

Hi All,

We were having a conversation today on safety of renting during the Inauguration.  We decided to take "instant booking" off our listing months ago.  It gives us better control over our place.  Never than any time before are we glad to have taken that step.  We are considering shutting down for Inauguration week if we are not comfortable with any inquiries.  Money may pay for food but it doesn't buy a conscience.

[Sarah977]

This may address some of your concerns:

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/11/homes/airbnb-ban-inauguration-dc/index.html

[Ann72]

@Gretchen4  When the Capitol Police stand there and basically support their white supremacist brethren in insurrection and terrorism, I don't know why Airbnb suddenly has to become the policing unit of choice, but it seems they are doing something, according to the article @Sarah977 posted.

[Lizzie]

Hello @Gretchen4,

Lovely to meet you.

Airbnb has been working on a 'Capitol Safety Plan' for hosting in DC during this time. You can read more about what steps are being taken in this official Airbnb article here. 

I hope you find this useful and I'll keep you updated on any other information I receive.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Lizzie]

Hello again @Gretchen4 and any other DC hosts reading this discussion,

In addition to the article I've already shared above, I wanted to come back to you with a further update.

Airbnb will be blocking and cancelling existing bookings during the inauguration week in Washington, DC metro area. Hosts in the relevant area are being contacted about this, so do keep an eye out for further information from Airbnb. In the meantime more information can be read here. 

Thank you,

Lizzie

[Anonymous]

@Lizzie 

"Guests whose reservations are canceled will be refunded in full. We also will reimburse hosts, at Airbnb’s expense, the money they would have earned from these cancelled reservations."

I'm really glad to see the hosts will be compensated, but is there enough affordable alternate accommodation to go around for the portion of guests who will be staying in DC for essential purposes?