New Discrimination Policy

Liam9
Level 3
New York, NY

New Discrimination Policy

On Airbnb's new descrimination policy, Bloomberg reported the following: 

Hosts will be prevented from listing a unit on the same day if they previously told a prospective guest that the property was unavailable, a step aimed at discouraging them from unfairly vetting customers. Airbnb will also urge hosts to let guests to book a unit without being screened, through a new feature called Instant Book.

 

 

I disagree with this policy.  I rent an entire home in a beach town. I will often deny party's because of lack of referrals - I don't want a new customer to come and throw a party at the house.  This is an issue for places like beach towns. I had one prospective guest that had no referrals, whose photo was just a "Play Like a Champion" banner. I don't want to rent my house to someone like that. That's not descrimination, that's common sense. Now I'd be denied from having my place available for those days?  I care about referrals, and that is something Airbnb does not let you vet by. 

 

Liam

63 Replies 63

Everty city they are spending hundreds of thousands fighting housing regulations, should demand they sign, or GET BANNED !!!

just like they treat their "loaned" PROPERTIES. Without property THEY have NO BUSINESS.

 

I bet the hotels would go for it...

 

and oddlty, theyre targeting Americans... sounds RACIST Bigoted to Bias,  to me. If not down right selective and INTENTIONAL.

 

Offends every american implying we're racist... UNDER THREAT, while giving a pass to its UNVETTED often LOSER guests. 

Gail43
Level 3
Boulder, CO

Hello,

I am writing to express my dismay at your new “non-discriminatory” policy.  The reason Air BnB works is because the host gets to approve anyone who wants to stay in the host’s home.  As a host, I get to decide who comes into my home.  If I get a bad feeling about someone’s reviews or exchange of emails, causing me to feel unsafe, I decline them.  If they ask if they can smoke pot (which is legal in my state), I decline them. If I have a Christmas tree up and I don’t want a family with young children while the decorations are up, I decline them.  If I don’t want pet hair all over my furnishings, I decline a guest who has a pet.  If a bunch of college students want to party hardy at my place, I decline them.  If I have a histrionic, angry guest that writes me hateful emails because she couldn’t figure out how to book my space and someone else beat her to the dates, I will decline her in all future requests.  My right to allow entrance of a stranger into my home is exactly that… my right.  THIS is why Air BnB works. I get to decide the kind of behavior I welcome, or decline. You call that judgement and prejudice, I call it wisdom learned from life experience and morals.  I do not welcome LGBTQ behavior in my home, nor drunkenness, nor taking drugs.  Note, these are BEHAVIORS, not ideology.  And before you label me a homophobe (be careful -- you would be judging me inaccurrately!), know that I am very kind, courteous to and curious about every person I meet, including LGBTQ.  I treat everyone with respect, but it is not my job to make them feel welcome if they are in fact, not welcome in my home.  My home is not a public facility to be governed by fair housing laws.  It is my home, and I get to choose my guests.  I enjoy meeting all kinds of people and I’ve had a wonderful time hosting many guests, who report they feel like they are family and want to return.

 

You should be protecting the hosts’ rights, not dictating an “if you don’t play our way, we’re taking the ball and going home” policy.  In your efforts to promote tolerance, you have just become intolerant of anyone who doesn’t see this issue like you do or agree to your policy!  Good grief!  Why would you mess up the good thing you’ve had going?  Couldn’t you just allow the laws of the locality, state and nation to govern the AirBnB community, instead of butting in with such a narrow policy?

 

I implore you to protect the hosts’ right to decline anyone for any reason.  

 

If you require a commitment to the “everyone is welcome” policy to continue to host with Air BnB, I will have to terminate my account and take my hosting business elsewhere.  And I’m sure I will not be alone.

 

With sincerity,

 

Gail

Brilliant Gail

 

this is a demand, under threat. by someone who thinks they own the land and create a holstile dicstorship, in democratic countries where WE THE PEOPLE choose how we are to live... 

David3001
Level 3
Verdi, NV

"Now more than ever". An opening statement to set the tone for this clever, guilt-filled ploy to increase Airbnb revenue and gain social points. The management of Airbnb obviously do not know US history. What is happening today is nowhere near the level of racist, violent and inhumane activity that took place in the 1800s and up to the mid 1900s. 
By the way, how is Airbnb addressing the issue of discrimination in the form of slavery? Airbnb is in China, Africa, India, Pakistan, Russia, Most of S.E. Asia, Mexico, South America? There are over 40,000,000 slaves and indentured servants in these and other countries. 
Perhaps Airbnb is simply acting virtuous in word and doing Nothing of real value in this transparent attempt to gain publicity, social standing and income? Airbnb has become the same as any large multinational corporation.
Airbnb does not care about Hosts at all. Strange as the Hosts are actually the Entire Business Foundation. Airbnb is using this suspicious expression of moral values and modern guilt to force Hosts into accepting all reservations as they come in thereby increasing revenue. This is another form of "Instant Booking".  If a renters of unknown race, sex, age, or political leaning, want to rent your home or they have some bad reviews, According to Airbnb, you must rent to them or risk Corporate Retribution. If the renters destroy your home and hard work, well that is tough cookies for you.
Time for a new Short Term Rental platform that cares about it's hosts as well as renters?