Welcome to the Frontline stays board. Introduce yourself here.

[Katrina143]

Hi, I'm Kat on the Frontline stays team. We created this group so that you and other hosts offering stays for COVID-19 first responders have a dedicated space to meet and support each other, and connect with our team. We hope you can use this group to connect with other hosts in your area, share tips and advice for hosting first responders in these unique circumstances, and ask questions. If you haven’t already, please check out our Frontline stays FAQs. 

To start, let’s get to know each other! If you’d like, please introduce yourself - you can include where you’re from, how long you’ve been hosting, and why you decided to open your listing up to first responders. 

Thank you for being here, the frontline stays program would not exist without you. 

Kat

As always, please remember to keep the Community Center Guidelines in mind when you interact in this group.

[Jon411]

I'd love to learn more about my speaking "Californian". LOL

I do empathize with your circumstance and congratulate you on having great friends and being innovative in finding new ways to add value.

[Sebastian29]

Thank you Jon.

Shall we start with “First Responder”?

I first heard the expression in the aftermath of the attack on the Twin Towers but it still feels an alien term this side of the Atlantic. Perhaps a good of example of what Oscar Wilde observed. “The English and the American have everything in common. Except of course the language.”.

Stay safe. And now,  go and wash your hands.

[Anne668]

Dear Sebastian

You have spoken so beautifully of what I was too demoralised to describe... with one notable exception: we lost our home once before (we didn't own it – my husband is a clergyman and it was a working vicarage; but it was the home our children all grew up in and we loved it even more than anything we could have owned) so I know from experience that, sadly, Mr Micawber was a tad overoptimistic.

(The situation exacerbated in our case by my father dying a week before lock-down, the solicitor having lost his most recent will – yes, truly – and the prospect of my siblings having all the benefit of my inheritance until probate which could be up to a year. I woke at 6am the day after my siblings ended my father's small contribution to us – he lived with us – without even telling me, suicidal for only the second time in my life: the first time being two decades ago when our second daughter became very, very ill... which she still is.)

Our son-in-law works for HomeAway. They took a very different decision. They left the decision about refunds to the discretion of individual hosts, whilst suggesting an optional 50% refund or free rescheduling. Airbnb changed our lives and enabled my husband to give up work after a severe breakdown and at first agents used to offer the most wonderful support and I recommended it to many friends. I started to notice a difference about three years ago, when I was let down by agent after agent, passed all over the world whenever I rang for help and realised the support was no longer there.

Fortunately we had started to list our home elsewhere. We have our own website; we are registered with GroupAccommodation; and as of two days ago, with HomeAway. If we get through this, I will never voluntarily send money through Airbnb again.

The company, the idea itself, is nothing without its hosts. If Airbnb cannot understand this it will lose us and deserves to.

I am sorry to be so negative when some are being so cheerful – I salute you! – but I've been treated badly before and had to learn how to protect those I love.

I enjoy the new birdsong, the time with my family and the fact that we haven't lost our home yet. We are still here and I now believe and fully hope we will get through.

But Airbnb has lost me.

Anne x

[Tracy410]

Hello:  I'm Tracy and I've received no request to stay.  I'm available for Covid-19 responders and I'm also available for anyone coming to NOLA for the demo of the "Hard Rock Building" that collapsed last October. That building must come down asap!!  So if you know anyone out there (an Inspector, Developer...) that has any involvement in this project...my property is available.  

[Beth44]

I likewise signed up to house responders but have not had any queries yet. HOWEVER I had a last minute reservation for this weekend from a new to Airbnb guest (who was great) whose profile picture was donning a protective mask and wearing a white lab coat. So his profile falls in a "grey area", meaning if he was a medical professional I might be acting responsibly to close down the apartment for a couple of days after his departure. How I handled this was asking upon his arrival was if he was a medical professional, as his picture might imply. He said no that he works in a lab. (I am being cautious and waiting 2 days until I clean). This raises the question to the forum? Do we exercise any additional precautions to medical personnel who are not in direct responder status??Also is there any guideline for asking instant bookings if they are in medical profession, working in hospitals, emergency personnel, etc??? 

[Pius7]

Thank you for the invite Katrina. 

My name is Pius Dawson, a british/US citizen living in Houston Texas. I manage multiple properties on Airbnb and host many guests from around the world. The majority of my guests come to Houston to the Texas Medical Center which is the largest in the world. They are visiting surgeons, nurses, medical professionals and also patients. During the COVID-19 as I am sure many of you suffered, I also had multiple cancellations and hope that things will start to get better soon as expenses always continue to pile up. I am already hosting first responders and respect all they are doing for us during this challenging time. If anyone is planning to come to Houston please reach out to me and I will see if I can accommodate you.

[Ed-And-Elaine0]

Hi!  I'm Ed, my wife Elaine and I host Star Watch Studio, a converted art workspace, in the historic and scenic Appalachian mountains in Virginia. We've been members of the Airbnb community and Superhosts since 2018. Like everyone else in this forum, we've been impacted by C-19 with all of our guest reservations being cancelled within a week - it was disheartening to see the cancellation emails coming in but not unexpected. We live close by two Universities and three large hospitals so have offered Star Watch Studio as a First Responder haven. We're not sure if the C-19 storm is still on the horizon, overhead or past but remain committed to doing our small part for the community and extending a hand whenever possible. We are so proud to be associated with like-minded International Hosts and Superhosts!

[Louise7]

Lovely email, Take care and good wishes, Louise

[Jennifer1947]

Hello!

I have an available studio apartment in Midtown, Manhattan in NYC. It has been unoccupied since March 5th. I have offered the space in the hopes that it can be helpful and useful during this challenging time. Please reach out if you know of anyone who is in need of a space.

Jennifer

[Erick367]

Hi. I'm Erick from San Juan, Puerto Rico. My partner and I have been hosting since January. Our second property will be ready soon. Occupancy here went down as everywhere else we but managed to get some bookings. We had to significantly lower prices and change our marketing strategies (in Airbnb and elsewhere) in order to attract guests. Now its more common for guests to book for longer. Our calendar is packed. You can find plenty of info on google, youtube, podcasts, etc. on how to attract guests during these times. Unfortunately, demand is down, so you have to lower prices if you want to attract guests.

Anyhow, we have not hosted anyone from the program yet. Looking forward to doing so! We signed up as soon as this program launched. We are more than happy to help.

[Misha28]

Hi, I'm Misha.

I've been hosting my home on the island of Hydra in Greece.

Greece had managed to prevent the spread very well compared to its European neighbors. The island has zero cases... It also has blocked all travel to the island and kept everyone in isolation at home. While I am happy and prepared to host people working on the front lines who need a break it seems that there will be few opportunities until travel restrictions are lifted and people feel comfortable enough to travel again.

Wishing everyone good health.

Misha

[Debi37]

Hi!  Rod and Debi in St. Augustine near the beach.  We have a 3/2 in a quiet neighborhood, and have received 1 inquiry for a traveling nurse, coming to work here.  We had one last reservation the end of March to early April - check in just before the shutdown on 3/28.  Great people moving to town, and their  house closing was delayed due to all the crazy stuff going on.  I think that's essential!  Everything in April, May, June has cancelled.  Fingers crossed for Governor to end the ban on STR on the April 30 expiration!  

[Rebecca864]

Hello, I am Rebecca I am a primary host of 10 units here on airbnb, one of my larger units is offering stays to front-line workers as it is located within 5 minutes of 2 major hospitals here in San Diego.  Besides being a host I also own and operate a cleaning, maintenance and laundry service that provides services exclusively to airbnb's we service over 100 units in San Diego County and about 75 in LA county.

[Victor-And-Dayana0]

Hello everyone

I'm Victor from Las Vegas-Nevada, I've been hosting since 2016 and I love being part of this community. I opened  my house for first responders and key workers but I didn't get anyone yet. But I'm happy to do more if you have any suggestions.

Stay healthy

[Alison536]

Hi I’m Alison from Rotorua New Zealand. We’ve only been with Airbnb a year but in that time have had a good occupancy from guests from all over the world and even achieved Superhost status before Covid 19 hit. Sadly all our bookings cancelled and we will not be able to host overseas guests for some time as our border is closed.

we have offered our property to the medical response programme but have not had any guests yet. Our little cottage is clean, disinfected and ready to go. Am thinking of all other hosts in our situation and looking forward to the future.