By Airbnb · January 29, 2025 - Source Link
Earlier this month, Airbnb.org, a nonprofit founded by Airbnb, partnered with 211 LA to provide free emergency housing for people displaced by the fires. Within 48 hours of launching, 211 LA received more than ten thousand applications from Angelenos.
In light of the overwhelming demand for housing support, Airbnb.org committed to providing emergency housing for at least 25,000 people impacted by the fires. To date, more than 17,000 people in Los Angeles have booked over 63,000 nights of free stays on Airbnb. Airbnb waives all service fees on Airbnb.org stays.
“My family and I did not just lose our home in the Eaton fires. We lost our sense of stability, community, support and safety. We know there’s a long road to permanency ahead, but the housing support we’ve received from Airbnb.org, 211 LA, and other generous donors has allowed us to catch our breath so we can focus on rebuilding our lives.”
Eshele Williams, PsyD, LMFT, Altadena resident who lost her home in the fires and booked a free stay through Airbnb.org
“The uncertainty and upheaval following the Eaton Fire has been a trauma in itself, rivaling the horror and loss from the actual fire. In the search for a more permanent housing solution, the support from Airbnb.org is a godsend, giving my family some time and space to think more clearly about our next steps in life.”
Kevin Cooley, Altadena resident who lost his home in the fires and booked a free stay through Airbnb.org
“We stood up this program with Airbnb.org within hours after the fires broke out in Los Angeles, and I am proud that we have become a critical resource for thousands of Angelenos who were forced from their homes. We’ll continue to partner with Airbnb.org to ensure our Los Angeles families have a safe place to stay.”
Maribel Marin, Executive Director, 211 LA
With thousands of people still in need of emergency housing, Airbnb.org is committed to funding 100,000 free nights of emergency housing, including extending stays for survivors who lost their homes. In total, Airbnb and Airbnb.org have committed over $26 million toward emergency housing efforts in Los Angeles.
How the partnership between Airbnb.org and 211 LA works
Airbnb.org has provided over 1.6 million nights of emergency stays for more than 250,000 people, including refugees and people displaced by natural disasters. During each response, Airbnb.org partners with local nonprofits with a keen understanding of the needs on the ground to help identify those in need of emergency housing.
In Los Angeles, 211 LA helps identify those impacted by the fires who are most in need of housing support. Eligible guests then receive Airbnb.org credits that they can use to book a free stay on Airbnb.
Airbnb.org takes a number of steps to prevent fraudulent behavior, including setting a seven-day expiration on credits issued. If credits aren’t used, Airbnb.org directs them to support additional people or extend stays for people who lost their homes in the fires. People with expired credits can reach out to Airbnb.org customer support who can extend the credit expiration date or apply the credit to an existing stay, which Airbnb.org has already done for 170 households in Los Angeles.
Other steps Airbnb has taken to support the Los Angeles community
Airbnb has also committed to helping hosts in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties to comply with the California Attorney General’s consumer alert to prevent extreme price increases. Hosts who attempt to raise prices by more than 10 percent from their pre-emergency pricing structure will instead receive an error message. We are sending communications to Airbnb hosts to remind them of the consumer alert.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
About Airbnb.org
Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.’s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org’s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.
