[UPDATED April 10] How hosts can provide housing for COVID-19 responders

[Airbnb]

Many of you have expressed an interest in hosting healthcare staff, and first responders on the front lines. So we wanted to let you know about a new program we launched to help you do just that. Airbnb is partnering with our hosts to connect 100,000 COVID-19 healthcare staff and first responders with comfortable and convenient places to stay. 

We know you might be wondering how the Frontline Stays program works, whether or not your space is eligible, and how to apply. We’ve answered these questions and more at Airbnb.com/COVID. If you’re interested in applying for the program, you can do so using the online form at Airbnb.com/COVID19relief. 

As always, we appreciate the resilience and generosity of hosts in the Airbnb community. We know this is a challenging time for so many of you, and your desire to help others is such an inspiration. Thank you again for all you do!

Updated April 10, 2020

We’re so inspired by your enthusiasm for the new Frontline Stays program! We know you still have questions about how it works, so we wanted to take a moment to answer some of them here.

What kinds of guests can I expect to host as part of the Frontline Stays program?

Tens of thousands of COVID-19 responders around the world are looking for temporary housing right now. Many are nurses and doctors traveling to impacted areas to support local hospital staff, medical staff burdened by long commutes and back-to-back shifts, and relief workers who are exposed to patients every day and are concerned for the health of their families—especially those with elderly parents or infants at home. 

I’ve blocked off my calendar but want to help. How long should I leave my calendar open to participate in the program? 

We recommend opening up your calendar through July 31, 2020. Keep in mind that there’s only one calendar associated with your listing. Dates you make available can potentially be reserved by any guest, whether or not they’re a COVID-19 responder. If you only want to host COVID-19 responders at this time, you’ll need to turn off Instant Book so you have more control over who can reserve your space. The normal penalties associated with declining bookings don’t apply to requests from responders, so you don’t have to worry about that. 

Who can book through this program?

Healthcare staff and first responders must be either affiliated with partner organizations or reviewed by Airbnb prior to check-in. This process helps ensure responders have a COVID-19 work assignment and are familiar with safety protocols. If Airbnb is unable to confirm a guest's COVID-related work prior to check-in, the reservation will be canceled.  

How will I know if a guest is a COVID-19 responder? 

These guests will have a special COVID-19 designation on their booking requests and confirmations. So whether you have Instant Book turned on or not, you’ll be able to identify COVID-19 responders right away.

How should I price my space?

Many COVID-19 responders who are signing up through our program are in need of free or deeply discounted listings because they’re paying out of pocket for their stays. If you can offer COVID-19 responders a space for free, please consider doing so. 

If you’re not currently hosting on Airbnb but want to provide free stays for COVID-19 responders, sign up for the program here. 

If you’re already a host on Airbnb, sign up to host COVID-19 responders here—you’ll be able to set the price at your full rate, at a discount, or for free.

How do I set a discounted rate for COVID-19 responders?

If you’re a host with an active listing on Airbnb, you can set a discount for COVID-19 responders when you sign up to host healthcare staff and first responders. If you don’t have a listing yet but you’d like to help, create a new Airbnb listing first and then sign up to set a discounted rate for responders.

Once you set a discount, we’ll automatically apply it to reservations made by COVID-19 responders only, and you’ll get the price breakdown when you receive the booking request or Instant Book reservation. Please keep in mind that your calendar won’t reflect the discounted price for COVID-19 responders.

I’m trying to opt in with a discounted rate, and it’s not letting me. Why is that?

Thanks for your feedback on this issue. There was a technical issue with the opt-in experience for some regions, but that should be fixed now. If you’re still having trouble with this, please let us know in the comments.

We want to remind you that we’ve answered even more questions in our Resource Center article, so please check that out for additional information about the program.

[Debra300]

Why didn't the doctor go through verification process that's outlined by Airbnb?

[Priscilla227]

Is it too late for me to comment

[Priscilla227]

I am not to old in the hosting business. I have only hosted less than ten people. But, I wish I could get a grant from Airbnb that can help me get all the hosting tools required even in this pandemic. Then I can host COVID responders! Or I wish Airbnb can give out loans. 

[Linda2839]

I'd like to suggest to Airbnb that hosts that offer an entire home free of charge to a first responder earn a STAY towards superhost status for each week they give away! It's great that Air put this program together, but it will cost us money to operate an entire home for their stay. I have a doctor coming for 5 weeks. I have asked her to cover the cleaning fees, but the rest is on me. I'm in Florida and we have the AC on just about all the time.

[Debra300]

@Linda2839,you and the doctor are very fortunate to be able to participate with this program.  My apartment is located in the Atlanta Metro Area, and right now the weather fluctuates daily between temperatures that require the heater or the air conditioner to run at least part of the day.  Soon, it will get very warm, and the air conditioner will likely run most of the time.  Our decreased income doesn't afford to pay the utilities for a free-staying guest.

You are the first person that I've encountered that will be participating.  I hope you don't mind, but I have some questions for you. 

How do you plan to manage garbage disposal for your doctor guest? 

If you have garbage pick up service, will you allow her to put her bagged trash in the same outdoor bin that your uses? 

Do you plan to notify your garbage company that you have a front-line worker staying at the property so they are aware that there is a higher probability of infected waste? 

Will you put  hazardous waste labels on the trash bin? 

Will you require that the doctor dispose of the garbage on her own?

[Linda2839]

Well, the doc cancelled this afternoon. But to answer your question, I would do nothing different. The garbage guys should be working as if every household has the virus.  She would put the trash out as I do,  just bring to the curb in bags.   I would then let the house be vacant for at least 3 days before having the cleaning team come in. She had agreed to pay for a cleaning before and after her stay, as Airb has a particular cleaning protocol.

[Debra300]

@Linda2839 

I agree that garbage collectors should handle all waste as if every household has the virus.  I plan to inform my garbage collector, because they may have a specific disposal procedure for waste from households with a confirmed virus cases or that have occupants that are at high-risk to catch the virus.

[Mark116]

We registered for the program, offering no discount, and have not had a single inquiry.  

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  What is your rationale for offering no discount? These medical personnel and other essential services in this crisis are working hard and putting themselves at high risk for getting the virus themselves. Seems to me they deserve a discount. I think if they pay a cleaning fee and enough to cover the utilities and other costs involved with hosting, with a bit tacked on for yourself, if you feel that's necessary, hosts with entire place listings could be more forgiving re normal booking pricing.

[Mark116]

@Sarah977  They're getting reimbursed, either by their companies or more likely by the government.  

[Debra300]

@Mark116,

Visiting or traveling Front-line workers may be reimbursed/receive a per diem, but there are quite a few who live local to where they want to rent, but want a place to stay away from their families while they work in the battlefield.  I recently saw a news report about an NYPD officer who was staying in an Airbnb, because his wife has been diagnosed with cancer, and her immune system is fragile.  He and other people in similar situations probably are not getting reimbursed for rental expenses.

[Debra300]

I read in the program information that Airbnb invites front-line workers to sign up through the three organizations, and after they are verified by Airbnb, Airbnb makes recommendations of the available participating properties in the areas that the guest wants to stay.  I believe that front-line workers are looking first for free or small fee (cleaning fees) only listings.  You probably won't get contacted if there is ample availability of these types properties in your area.

[Mark116]

@Debra300  That may be the case, but we can't afford to provide free or nearly free lodging to anyone, when they are going to be using heat, water, electricity, wear and tear and still able to leave a review so the listing must be presented and maintained as it would be normally, especially when there is substantial extra cleaning protocol. 

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  Presumably you make a profit beyond the utilities, normal wear and tear, and cleaning. Of course, it's your individual choice, but I don't see why you couldn't discount somewhat and still cover all your expenses. Just because their company or the govt is paying for their lodging, it doesn't seem necessary to stress those resources at this exceptional time.

[Mark116]

@Sarah977  Well, at present, I am pretty sure that we are in a much more precarious financial position than the U.S. government or various health care organizations that have seen an influx of tens of million to combat the disease.  There is also the issue of the hugely increased risk that renting to a first responder in a 2 family house represents, same front door, potential to run into people on the porch etc. and so regular compensation seems fair to me, if not generous, because there is still the issue of much, much more and more extensive cleaning that would need to be done. 

But my point was more that not a single person has contacted us as a responder even to inquire and/or ask for a discount.  Certainly if someone contacted us and said, I'm a nurse/doctor here working at XX but my company's per diem only goes up to $85 a night, we would be happy to give such a discount.