Diversity and policy changes related to nondiscrimination

[Deborah75]

Hello, thanks for the updates regarding antitipated policy changes. I noticed that it focuses mainly on what guests can do. As a host, I once had a guest cancel minutes before her agreed upon arrival time. In her posted message to me, she attributed the reason to safety. In a call to me, she explained that a taxi driver described my neighborhood in a discriminatory way and refused to take a member of her group to my place. She quoted her company policy about safety & accomodations--it's staff travel a lot. My neighborhood is actively undergoing regentrification. My listing clearly describes multiple safety features in place. When I reminded the guest of this, she replied saying something like, 'oh, I forgot about the security system, secure windows, and such'. She later asked for a full refund despite having requested that I prepare my place in a number of additional ways--most of which I tried to accomodate. The situation was resolved through the Airbnb Resolution Center; I went against my policy and allowed a partial refund. The situation was unsavory at best. I have the instant book feature and reached Superhost status within a year of hosting. No other guests has described my neighborhood as unsafe or expressed safety concerns about any aspect of staying at my place. 

It seems the report that Brian Chesky shared articulated objectives that Airbnb "Should Expand Host Opportunities in Communities of Color." Yet, no text explores issues or action items needed to further this and related objectives. I hope the internal working group or any of its derivatives working on issues of nondiscrimination and diverstiy will explore situations like the one described herein that hosts face when making our places available.

Finally while this Community Center is helpful, it's not clear that it's a place to post suggestions to Airbnb administration/staff. I hestitated to post this message because most describe this venue as a space for getting/seeking assistance/help. Additionally, I was uncertain what category/topic to selected. I don't need help and seek no reply. That stated, thanks for considering this suggestion and for AirBnb's invested committment to these issues.

With regard, Deborah

[David126]

There is no suggestion that AirBnB monitor this board, they contract out the moderation.

As written the policy applied to the Community but the action points seems focussed on Hosts.

There was mention of Diversity Training, I assume both Hosts and Guests will be able to pre select those who have undertaking it at some point.

[Deborah75]

Thanks David, this is interesting information. It also reminded me that I'd meant to suggest Airbnb consider creating a method for giving feedback to the organization or exaplin how this is done, if it already exists. I was unable to determine if the latter is the case. I appreciate your take yet think it best to make no assumuptions given the nature of changes being made. Further, pre-selecting seems to go against the objective to make instant booking a more widely used practice. Time will tell what will come of this enthusiatic embrace of nondiscrimination. I appreciate it.

[Jack-And-Kristy0]

We recently had something similar happen on our third booking here in Des Moines, Iowa. Two hours after my black business partner showed the house to our 5 white male guests, they contacted us and said that they were cancelling because they thought the neighborhood was unsafe. The neighbors are diverse-white, black, Hispanic, and African refugees in New Habitat for Humanity housing. As a white female, I have been to the house many times by myself over our past 9 years of ownership and never had any problems. All the windows have locks and the entry doors have deadbolts. This was a whole house rental not Romans in our own houses. I think that the guests used an excuse of not being safe rather than admit that they were uncomfortable in an ethnically diverse neighborhood. All that being said and done, what really angers me is that Airbnb superseded our moderate cancellation policy and refunded the guests $107 extra that we were entitled to, thus rewarding these people for their racist behavior. The Airbnb representative claims that my business partner agreed to the smaller amount of payout. She was not forthright in explaining our payout options. Since he might have inadvertently been responsible for the guests cancellation because of his color, he just wanted the situation to go away. I am furious when the guests asked for more money returned to them on their cancellation, that Airbnb gave it to them.

[Deborah75]

Hi Jack and Kristy, thanks for sharing your experience in relation to mine. Your story does raise questions. I'll point out just one that I think is consistent in both of our stories. How will Airbnb seek to change the host experience with regard to nondiscrimination? I can appreciate how much more complex this objective becomes and how there's little precedence for articulating more effective practices. For now, I'd just like to have Airbnb acknowledge this aspect of the challenge it is actively choosing to face and reassurance that it's on the radar of future issues to consider. I also wish you two the best moving forward as hosts. I wish for all of us dealing with situations like the ones we shared that there was an easy resolution.