To Help Afghan Refugees, Airbnb Opens Emergency Platform to Non-Hosts
Earlier this week, Airbnb announced an effort to help Afghan refugees through its emergency response arm, Airbnb.org. Through partnerships with resettlement agencies, the company said it would offer free temporary housing to 20,000 refugees fleeing the crisis in Afghanistan.
In the few days that have passed since that effort began, the response from hosts has been “overwhelming,” the company said in a release on Thursday.
“We have received enormous interest from people within the Airbnb community and beyond looking for ways to support Airbnb and Airbnb.org’s work with partner organizations to house Afghan refugees,” the release says. “In many cases, we have heard from people who want to offer their space free of charge.” So the company is expanding the program to make even more housing available. As of August 26, anyone with available space—not just existing hosts—can sign up to temporarily house Afghan refugees. Airbnb says it will waive all its fees for the emergency stays.
In order to help house refugees, the company says anyone interested can sign-up on Airbnb.org. According to Airbnb.org guidelines, potential hosts will ideally have an entire home or apartment to offer for the emergency stay, but private or shared rooms may also be eligible for the program in certain locations (depending on the COVID situation). Hosts must also meet the platform's hospitality standards—like providing a safe, secure, and clean space—and must uphold the company's community standards.
Hosts can choose whether to make the stay free or discounted. All stays will be short-term, the company says, and nonprofit partners—like International Rescue Committee, HIAS, and Church World Service—will be in touch to assist refugees with their next steps toward more permanent plans.
For those who don't have available space but would still like to help Afghan refugees, the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund is also taking donations, 100 percent of which will help fund the current effort.
Airbnb.org says that in the four years since its program began, it has housed 25,000 refugees so far; it has provided stays 75,000 people in other times of need, like after natural disasters and for first responders during the pandemic.
The organization says it's also positioned to respond to any new developments amid the current crisis: “As the situation on the ground in Afghanistan continues to evolve, Airbnb.org will continue to work closely with resettlement agencies and partners to go where the need goes, and evolve this initiative and support as necessary.”
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
