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

[Michelle53]

@Brian2036  Airbnb.org is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, separate from Airbnb.com, with a separate Board (except for Joe Gebbia).

All 501(c)(3)'s operate on "someone else's money". Grants, donations, foundation support and other aid. 

People can donate time and/or money. 

https://www.airbnb.org/about

Hosts can donate their time/space, or "take someone else's money". 

[Tina180]

Wonder how many days we would be expected to house. I don’t mind helping with a few days transition, but indefinite does not encourage me to participate. I participated in housing “first responders” during COVID but had to opt out after 2 bookings were a catastrophe. They faked their credentials 😞  Evicted one of them. 

I hope the screening process is better for this program. I like helping worthy causes and paying it forward for all the generosity I received after Katrina. 

[Brian2036]

@Tina180 

I got involved with the Katrina disaster also and came to regret it.

Apparently there are certain people who see these situations as opportunities to take advantage of other people’s charitable instincts.

It makes me very nervous.

[Helen3]

@Clive12  Strange comment when Airbnb said they were covering the costs 

[Helen3]

I've already signed up to support refugees for free with my local council because I have the space and it's the right thing to do.

I know this will be done as part of a wider package of support being offered to them including counselling, English lessons, clothing, food etc.

I would only sign up for the Airbnb scheme if they were working with refugee charity partners  who would offer the refugees a package of support and where hosts and refugees are carefully vetted. 

[Brian2036]

@Helen3 

I think that’s a very wise approach.

These unfortunate people will have absolutely nothing and are likely to be lost and bewildered.

 I could provide housing for a limited amount of time but am I prepared to throw them out if they still have no money, transportation or the ability to communicate after a month?

Not really…

[Anonymous]

@Helen3  I think you made the right call. Airbnb's statement did not clarify who the "nonprofit partners" they're working with are, what other services they provide the refugees, what criteria they use to match them with an appropriate placement, and what specialized support is available to hosts in the event of difficulties.

Considering how hard it can be to get competent customer support in ordinary hosting and travel issues, I don't trust that they'll have qualified support for the more complex concerns of refugees available when it's needed. 

[Susie0]

I just wrote to a journalist to explain that HOSTS are offering free housing, not Airbnb. 

It's amazing that no journalist has ever exposed this fact. 

[Sarah977]

@Susie0  ??? Did you not read the info about this program before doing that? Hosts will be paid by Airbnb for providing housing. Of course a host could offer it free of charge if they so chose.

[Susie0]

Where exactly does it say Airbnb will pay hosts? I can't find that anywhere. Thanks

[Helen3]

It's in all the news articles . Sadly Airbnb decided to announce the initiative before bothering to set up the system fir hosts to apply on their charity arm website . @Susie0 

[Dave1074]

This.  Air makes a "big announcement" and the truth is that Air will waive their fees for HOST PROVIDED FREE HOUSING. 

There does not seem to be anything in writing to the contrary.  Give away our housing for free and take all the credit?  How nice of you!

[Piotr48]

Not under my roof, thanks.

[Helen3]

Wow @Piotr48  I'd rather have a grateful refugee family any day  over party- goers or groups disturbing neighbours and leaving my place in a mess .

so much for human compassion and understanding 😢😢

[Denise1117]

I participated in the First Responders housing program, and still do - although I have not had a recent request.   The VOBID First Responder programs were well-coordinated and all requests that I received were through the employment agencies - not the First Responder.   The discounts offered were my choice, not AirBnB’s choice.   I would assume, or hope, that this relief effort will also organize in the same manner ie emergency housing/did placement organizations arranging the booking, payment, security damages, etc.    To date,  I have not received any such notification from Airbnb re my property availability to participate in the .org non-profit as I did for First Responders.   I will not be considering individual “requests” unless clearly covered through the .org.  
i will approach these charitable events as cautiously as I did the First Responder issues.   I had many requests from “medical personnel” asking me to give deep discounts for their “work assignment duties”.  When I requested that their employer contact me to arrange their emergency housing - the “medical personnel” disappeared.   There are scammers everywhere.   
Keep your guard up and never, ever girget that a non-profit CEO is getting rich off of tugging our heart strings.