Super host relief fund

[Holly-Jo0]

Where does one find the application for the super host relief fund?

[Bob40]

A good question. I think the message said we would be contacted at the end of April but I may be wrong. Can someone confirm?

[Susan17]

@Bob40 @Holly-Jo0 

To qualify, hosts who offer a place to stay must

• Only share their primary or secondary residence – no more than 2 active listings
• Show a reliance on Airbnb as a vital source of income
• Have a verified identity
• Have been a Superhost for 1+ years
• Have lost a significant percentage of their earnings due to COVID-19

We want to support as many hosts as we can, but we also want that support to be meaningful. So we’ll be reviewing applications carefully and will select only those hosts who demonstrate the most need.

Superhost Relief Fund 

https://www.airbnb.ie/superhostrelief

[Susan17]

How Are Applications Evaluated?

A specialised team at Airbnb will invite hosts who are most in need to apply. This same team will evaluate applications on a weekly basis and get in touch with hosts whose applications have been approved.

We want to support as many hosts as we can, but we also want that support to be meaningful. So we’ll be reviewing applications carefully and will select only those hosts who demonstrate the most need.

[Ronald208]

Susan, thanx for the info.

But where exactly is the link to the for, so where can I fill in the form?

Regards, Ronald

[Susan17]

Hi @Ronald208 

Unfortunately, there is no form to fill in. Airbnb will select those who they deem to be most in need, and "invite" them to apply.

Most likely, the lucky recipients of those invitations will be the ones Airbnb feel will sing loudest and proudest about how this wonderful company has saved them from the poorhouse with their "generosity", thereby reaping maximum PR benefit/advantage for "The Firm". (See my post further down)

[Ronald208]

Thanx Susan, for all your info, and your quick answer!

[Chris1989]

I have contacted Airbnb. I have send my application to the customer service. But it was directly rejected. They told me that you have to wait for an invitation. Possibly Airbnb makes first a selection. 

[Ronald208]

Hi Chris,

Thanx! Where did you find the application form, what is the direct link to that form?

Regards, Ronald

[Sanee0]

Chris1989 are you a Superhost?

[Susan17]

@Chris1989 

It remains to be seen though, whether the hosts "most in need of support", as stated in the PR material, will actually be the hosts who ultimately benefit from this fund. 

For starters, hosts can't apply themselves - it's by "invitation only". Not quite sure what criteria the "specialized" team will be using to identify and invite applications those who fit the "most in need" category, based solely on our listings and profile info.. 

To qualify, hosts who offer a place to stay must:

• Only share their primary or secondary residence – no more than 2 active listings
• Show a reliance on Airbnb as a vital source of income
• Have a verified identity
• Have been a Superhost for 1+ years
• Have lost a significant percentage of their earnings due to COVID-19

When initially deciding who gets "invited", how can the team possibly determine from their side whether or not a host relies on Airbnb as a vital source of income? Or what percentage of earnings a person has lost due to COVID-19? For all they know, a host who has lost their Airbnb bookings, might just do it as a side-gig, and may very well have a highly-paid day job, or another lucrative business or two on the go. 

I strongly suspect that the lucky recipients will be carefully and strategically selected for maximum PR advantage for the company, with most amongst them best placed (and most likely) to spread the awesome news of their good fortune, and Airbnb's amaaazing generosity. As a 10 year, 22-time superhost who doesn't own multiple properties, have had my calendar almost completely wiped clean and had literally zero income in March as a result of COVID/EC (and very little for the preceding winter months) - and will now also earn a pittance for the entire months of April and May - theoretically, I should be right up there with those at the top of that invitation list. 

I'm not expecting to hear a dicky-bird from them, of course. 

[Bob40]

@Chris1989I agree. This "explanation" raises more questions than it answers. I will be earning zero in April, May and June - and possibly July as well if the annual theatre festival in Avignon gets cancelled. That would take my loss to 5 figures!

[Christopher615]

Why are they only offering this to superheats with 2 or fewer properties. Those of us with multiple mortgages to pay will ultimately suffer most when our properties are empty. If someone has only one property it is easy for them to manage a month or two. Why distribute to those who do this on the side and not those who bring in the most money to airbnb? Who makes these decisions?

[Suzanne302]

@Christopher615  Someone who rents a room in their home may depend on that income and I don't think you can compare "suffering." Someone with the funds to buy and manage 7 properties is (or was) certainly in a better financial position than someone who is simply trying to make the mortgage on their primary residence. Renting a room in your home does not mean you are doing this "on the side."

While I sympathize with anyone who is losing money and/or whose business is suffering, I personally, would help that single mom trying to keep the house she actually LIVES in before I'd help the person trying to keep one of their 6 or 7 properties from going into foreclosure. Perspective.

[June215]

So as I understand we need to wait for the invitation to apply for the relief fund. However, i would like to point out there an aspect that affecting hosts to meet the eligibility criteria number 1 "Only share their primary or secondary residence – no more than 2 active listings".

 I have multiple listings on my page yet they are different rooms in my homestay, which is also where I and my family live. So apparently, I am not qualified even though all of my listings are from the same address.  

A bit of back story: I started with hosting on Airbnb in 2016 with my brother's room while he is away for university. As inspired by the good business aspect, I took a loan to renovate part of my own house to start a homestay business and later apply another loan to expand to 5 studios unit in the house area we live (yes, we fortunate to have a big plot of land from our grandpa). So with these initials, right now we are hit so hard by the virus. For me, that'd be no income to pay loan interest, cleaner, electricity and water bills. Those are the essential expenses that I could not cover and my own savings last enough to buy food for my family until May. From a developing country, doing own business, you get no aid from gov on whatsoever.

I'm sure there are many other hosts in a similar situation and finding this aid could be a huge lifesaver yet we may not qualified cause we have more than 2 listings. I truly appreciate the initiatives from Airbnb to help the community and I hope that the selection of application can consider this aspect.