Headline: "Airbnb offers free accommodation for 20,000 Afghan refugees" or; Airbnb's hosts offer up their spaces to provide free accommodation for 20,000 Afghan refugees.

[Clive12]

Once again Airbnb attempts to take maximum credit for the wonderful generosity of its kind hosts whist behind the scenes continues to disempower, obfuscate and frustrate them into leaving the very platform that their effort, commitment and risk helped to build.

An X-Host

[Laura2592]

Where is the accommodation for hosts and the general population displaced by Hurricane Ida?

I am all for helping out people who need a place to stay but REALLY disappointed in the response to Ida. Maybe its just not a sexy enough problem for ABB to comment on?

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  I know you probably don't want to hear this, but there are a lot more US-based resources available for folks displaced by Hurricane Ida.  FEMA being just one.   Airbnb hosts offering housing to folks impacted by Hurricane Ida would be a drop in the bucket compared with the sheer volume of issues being experienced in the flooded/tornado-hit/otherwise-ravaged areas. Housing, even if temporary, would have a huge impact on refugees coming into the US with nothing but their clothing.

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 I am very familiar with what FEMA offers, and experienced it after Katrina. Saying "FEMA is an option" as opposed to ABB is like saying "a porta potty is as a good as a 4 piece newly renovated master bath."

My point here is that New Orleans is a heavily touristed city with a lot of ABB hosts. If ABB doesn't even comment on this event or try to help this population, I find it  reprehensible. I understand the plight of refugees, but I also believe that "open homes" should not be available only to groups who represent the crisis that conveys the most "cred" on ABB. If its a real program, it should be open to everyone who needs it. 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592   I've worked with non-profits in the past. They are often short on resources, and then they have to "pick a cause". I realize that NOLA is a cause near and dear to your heart, as it is for many people.   Folks aren't waiting for Airbnb to declare it their cause - they are finding other ways to assist by donating food, money etc to, for example, the Red Cross.

One of our local pet shelters sent several buses to go rescue animals in NOLA shelters and bring them back here. Many of us have been waiting in line for months to try and get strays into these shelters, at a time when they were already bursting at the seams. But they have declared NOLA area shelters as their cause and priority, and I'm not going to be upset about that.

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 ABB is not a non-profit. Far from it. My only point is that if you are offering "open homes" why not offer it to ALL the people who could benefit? Not just refugees. Not just traveling care providers or first responders. I don't care if its New Orleans or Florida for the hurricane, Kansas for a tornado or a California earthquake. And its all of us, the hosts, who are offering the spaces. So why not give us the opportunity to participate in any number of these situations?

Yes, this cause is important to me. But its not the only one missing from the ABB portfolio. If ABB is going to dabble in humanitarian aid, let's see a wider net cast. 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  Airbnb.org is a registered 501(c)(3) with its own board, separate from ABNB the Corporation. 

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 come on now, you know its a publicly traded company which has set up a tax shelter non profit. Let's not split hairs. We all generate the income for this platform. They take it out of every stay.

I really don't want to debate this. You can disagree and think that its perfectly appropriate to offer help to one group and not others. I don't. And if I am someone who owns stock and/or creates income for this platform, I am definitely going to voice my opinion about how the company uses its resources. 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  Perhaps it would be more effective,  then, to voice an opinion to one of the board members of Airbnb.org directly. I don't see how bumping the topic every day here, where they aren't going to read it, helps.

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 I have! 

I'm sorry if this is something you don't feel is particularly important.  We are all entitled to our opinions 🙂

[Helen3]

Hi @Laura2592 

The Airbnb scheme where hosts can open their homes to those displaced by Hurricane Ida and other disasters is available for those affected. 

Why would you think that those affected by Ida would somehow not be eligible to be helped.?

Airbnb is offering the same support to those in New Orleans as it offers others affected by natural disasters in the Caribbean, Africa, Bangladesh and other areas.

There are also a number of US charities and government organisations offering New Orleans and other affected US communities support. 

The situation in Afghanistan caused by the US decision to withdraw forcing other nations to follow is unprecedented. I'm glad that Airbnb charity arm is recognising this and in common with other humanitarian agencies is offering help to those left with nothing.

[Laura2592]

@Helen3 that's great news...can you send a link to where this mentions anyone displaced by a disaster?

I'm trying to help a friend who evacuated new Orleans and she has been told by ABB that this program is only for certain groups of affected people.  It would be nice to have something that mentioned Ida or hurricanes specifically for her next conversation with a CSR

[Michelle53]

@Helen3   "The Airbnb scheme where hosts can open their homes to those displaced by Hurricane Ida and other disasters is available for those affected."

That information is incorrect. Here is the information from the "Help" pages.   Emphasis mine. 

"How to book an emergency stay through Airbnb.org". 

In order to book an emergency stay through Airbnb.org, you must meet eligibility requirements and be approved.

Applying for a stay

Disaster relief

In some instances following a disaster, Airbnb.org activates a platform which allows local Hosts to offer their space for free or at a discounted rate to those impacted. When the platform is activated, people in crisis can request emergency housing through a dedicated website for the event.

If you have been impacted by a disaster

If emergency housing is available through Airbnb.org, you’ll see an article in Airbnb’s Press Room with information about the event and a link where you can submit a request.

You’ll need to log into or create an Airbnb account, confirm your address, answer a few questions, and agree to Airbnb's Community Standards and the Airbnb Terms of Service. "

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2591/how-to-book-an-emergency-stay-through-airbnborg

Here is a link to the Press Room.

https://news.airbnb.com/

 Click on the tab for Airbnb.org under "Categories" to see the programs offered.