Hurricane Harvey evacuees hosting

[Phyllis29]

Hi all

I am trying to host for free for evacuees, but there are ZERO instructions on the website. I have hosted in the past, but had my room unlisted. I clicked on the link for hosting for free, and it was just a regular listing form. I went ahead and filled it out, in case just the click-through made it show up for evacuees, but it says I have only filled it out 14% even though I have completely filled it out several times.

I then decided since that didn't work to just relist my current room for evacuees, but have no idea if it will show up for them as free. I tried changing the nightly price to zero, but the website wouldn't let me do it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Phyllis

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Phyllis29 I found this link https://www.airbnb.com/disaster/hurricaneharveyevacuees

[Phyllis29]

That is what I did.

[Deanna40]

Frustrating as hell. I have a current space but this link and anywhere on the website do not let me just offer it up. I'm not going to go thru to hassle of creating a new listing.

[Any0]

Ditto.  Airbnb help center any help? 

[Diane228]

https://www.airbnb.com/welcome/evacuees

It looked pretty easy to add your home via this link. I'm wanting to specifically sign up to help Harvey victims and the only choices I have are to open the home for free as often as possible, once a month, once a year, etc. 

Is there anyone who has participated in this who can tell us what it is like from a host perspective?  

[Derek-and--Leon0]

1. If anyone has any suggestions or has figured out how to list our property for Hurricane Harvey evacuees.
2. We have two bedroom on offer for free.
3.  Anxious to offer assistance for victims of this disaster.

[Melissa315]

I am having the same issue. I filled in everything to become a "host," but I couldn't list it for $0 so I put $1. Never saw anything that said this offer was specifically for Hurricane Harvey evacuees. This link said it was to sign up to offer free housing for those devasted by the disaster. Supposedly, Airbnb was not charging fees until September 25. I don't even see a number to call on the website.

[Rachel194]

Hi all,

I've listed in the past to evacuees (Baton ROuge flood last year), and it was as easy as 1-2-3, took seconds to take my existing listing.  Now it tries to get us to re-enter all the data and then set a hosting fee . I phoned tech support last night and was advised after he looked at the page and conferred with a supervisor that there is a problem with their disaster listing setup and that they are working on it.  I phoned again this morning and was told by a different tech support agent that she thought AirBnb wants hosts to create an all new listing in case there are difference in what we'd offer an evacuee vs a regular guest, and that we could list "zero" for the actual charges.  I feel she is incorrect, but if not, how cumbersome.  I very much want to list my apartment to evacuees but to make us generate a whole duplicate listing would be absurd.  I believe they are working on it, I surely hope so. 

Rachel

New Orleans

[Lizzie]

Hello @Phyllis29, @Rachel194, @Derek-and--Leon0 , @Deanna40, 

Lovely to meet you. It is fantastic you would like to help. 

Just to confirm you shouldn't need to set up a new listing to offer your listing for free. This pop-up usually appears if your listing isn't quite in the specific area outlined on the webpage @Branka-and-Silvia0 shared above or if you are already booked for the dates outlined. 

Does this fit with what is happening when you try to do this?

Thanks,
Lizzie

[Rachel194]

No, that link that Branca and Sylvia reference is the one we are all trying to use.  Unfortunately, even if you sign in, it does not pull up existing listings.  It forces one to re-create a listing all over again, and then it wants you to set a nightly rate.  There is definitely a technical problem and AirBnb needs to solve it.  It's some glitch that moves us away from free hosting for disaster victims and tries to get us to a whole new listing.  Very frustrating!  As mentioned, the system worked in the past.  Part of AirBnb's incessant re-tooling of their website, it changes every 2 weeks.  

[Dawn129]

So glad it's not just me! A lady contacted me to book my room for her friend for the weekend, and even though I'm quite certain I elected to be part of the disaster relief program, it tried to charge her for the room. I had to set a price when I signed up - I picked the minimums - but I'm going to be mighty

miffed if Airbnb is trying to collect money for volunteered lodging. 

[Alice265]

Strange thing is I did have someone book for 0 but now I am having the same problem as it is coming up that I was going to earn over $3,000.00 so I just sent a special offer to some folks for 0.00. They have been in their truck for 2 days with 3 small children. Airbnb needs to figure this out.

[David126]

@Alice265

If you have contact with the people seems like the issue is solved.