Airbnb to donate 10 cents per booking to raise US$500m to support crisis housing

Paris, October 29 - Airbnb has announced it will start donating ten cents for each booking made on its platform, aiming to raise US$500 million for its nonprofit, Airbnb.org, over the next five years. This initiative comes amid criticism that the short-term rental service reduces housing availability for local residents.

Christoph Gorder, executive director of Airbnb.org, stated that the donations will significantly enhance the organization's capacity to assist individuals by bringing in substantial resources. The nonprofit originated from hosts welcoming those displaced by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and since launching in 2020, Airbnb.org has provided 1.6 million nights of free accommodation to over 250,000 individuals affected by disasters. The goal is to increase this to one million nights annually.

The additional funds will also enable Airbnb.org to broaden its support to families seeking medical care in various countries, survivors of domestic violence, and US veterans dealing with serious illnesses or undergoing intensive treatment. Importantly, these new funding sources will not affect guest fees or host earnings. In September, Airbnb pledged US$250 million to unlock over US$5 billion to invest in housing construction.