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Please go to the Airbnb.org and read. Air b and B is working with many Organizations. We all have extra spaces, we have the World’s largest Humanitarian Crisis of all times. I pray everyone steps up and helps out. You will be compensated in more ways than just money.
Think if it were you or your family.
Yvette
Then work with a charity locally to you who knows how to manage all the issues you mention to help these people devastated by this endless war to rebuild their lives @zillacop
No we don’t.
Now veering wildly off topic!
What we have currently is a situation essentially created by the last US administration, that has been dreadfully mismanaged by the current administration. Even the “coalition” partners are dismayed at the level of disregard for the Afghani people being exhibited by the White House at this time.
The Taliban are also a US creation, ably assisted by Pakistan. The US provided them with money, intel, weapons and even right down to militant Islamic religious text books for their madrassas. All this to fight the Soviet Union…
Makes me think of:
“Intelligence is knowing how to create a monster, wisdom is knowing whether or not you should. I feel that this is the most important philosophy.”
Accredited to Winston Churchill, although may be bollox.
JF
…once again, religion is the cause of suffering and death., Watching Afghans being forced to wear burkas, leave jobs, etc in the name of ‘religion’ is heartbreaking. And sorry, it is not a matter of ‘which’ religion. Every one has ‘beliefs’ and some sort of ‘bible’ from thousands of years ago that they refer to to justify and codify their awfulness…
My read of IRS rules is consistent with this author’s:
Does both mean donate and provide your space? Of course you can do that.
I actually referred a neighbor who works with an organization placing Afghan refugees to check out partnering with Airbnb.org. if short term lodging is needed. They may find a good fit. I doubt they will pursue that, as they already have a network of housing provider relationships, but ya never know.
One of my considerations, and I’ve done accounting work for a number of nonprofits, is that the donation that fits the needs of their target population best is always cash, which gives the organization the most flexibility.
It’s difficult for charities. Donors feel much more engaged if their donation is somehow personal. Imagining the refugee family using their china set, providing an earmarked donation for a speaker on a specific topic at Sunday School, etc. So you don’t want to discourage them. However, in-kind gifts and earmarked donations require more administrative time and effort and may not be most directly aligned with the charity’s mission. What is most needed are unrestricted funds that can be used for anything, even operational overhead. Similar problem with grants – some grant applications require the charity to start a new program and demonstrate it will become self-funding with the grant as seed money.
Here’s what I think is going on with Airbnb. They started a charitable arm, and provided assets to fund it. I think the figure I saw was 40,000 shares. They are soliciting cash donations for the org, and may also be donating cash directly from Airbnb corporate. The cash is used for operations overhead for the org, and the org provides a platform to match refugee clients of identified “partner” NGOs with Airbnb hosts. The NGOs pay the hosts. Airbnb waives its usual fee.
Where does the “housing 20,000” figure come from? The org or Airbnb corporate could be donating cash to the NGOs totaling 20,000 times some average rental cost for some average refugee stay. Or the org platform could merely have to capacity to match to 20,000 properties, thus the use of the term “plans to temporarily house.” I haven’t seen details.
So the PR aspect does bother me a bit. I wonder if there will be a promo shot of Chesky carrying some refugee’s suitcase and welcoming them into an Airbnb rental.
I hear what you are saying. I understand your view. However, we have millions of misplaced human beings.
Last post –
It is so emotionally appealing to provide STR for a refugee family, and I am not discounting the human-to-human, personal support that a host could also be providing through their caring interaction, and the value of that to uprooted people who have lost home, work, even family.
I’m just suggesting hosts also consider, if they can afford it, donating part of their STR business rentals to the refugee-assisting charity of choice. That money can go to temporary housing, yes, but also to a long term rental, English lessons, driving lessons, job placement, legal advice, school supplies for the kids, eyeglasses, what the refugees themselves say they need, and administered by an organization that has expertise and a track record of directing resources where most needed.
OK, I’ve shot my wad on this topic!
Ummm, no we don’t.
If, between the US and its coalition partners, they can ship out any figure approaching 500k, then they’ll have done a good job. Also, bear in mind that many will be westerners, who have no need of refugee services.
As far as refugees are concerned, until the borders were closed, Iran and Pakistan have taken in the bulk, I believe. How many went to the three 'Stans I’ve no idea.
Internally, the UN estimates circa 600k Afghanis have been displaced, so the 38 Airbnb’s in Afghanistan are going to be busy.
Please don’t bandy about figures that bear no relation to this current situation. It’s bad enough without folks making outlandish claims about the scale.
JF
We bet that not one refugees will be hosted in a stay personally owned by Chesky or any other Air exec. 
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What a total load of crap. This is a purely selfish PR move. I can’t imagine many hosts would undertake such a massive risk with their personal property, especially with Air’s proven lack of support and protection. That is a business for us not a charity.
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That aside, we would be open to donating to an appropriate organization to help fund refugee relocation - but nothing associated with Air.
What is this “massive risk”? That they’re not white Christians?
I’d rather have a paid stay from an Afghan refugee family than from some entitled bigot.
My late chiropractor was a wonderful, gentle man from the Pamyr valley who came to the US after the Russian invasion.
Then by all means sign up and make your home available, if that is how you feel.
In what way do you feel it’s a ‘massive risk’ to have a refugee stay in your place? @Jefferson compared to having any other sort of paid guest ?
Not clear from your post .
They are not “paying guests”. They are literally a 3rd party booking. Again, Air’s track record is to NOT protect hosts even under normal circumstances. nty.
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Just like Nordling, if you do not feel a risk with your property then by all means sign up and host them.
My goodness, it’s voluntary. How hard is it to be a decent human being. Volunteer your space or don’t volunteer your space. What’s the big fucking deal? Women and girls in Afghanistan are facing far worse situations than you losing some money.
Yes, I’d volunteer my space if it made sense, but I don’t live anywhere refugees would be resettled, nor would my home be conducive to a family (violates local building codes).
Just to let you know, I think refugees will be settled wherever they can be. And they are by no means all families.
Some are being sent to a military location near me. I’d love for a community to stay here and rebuild their lives. I think the desert and mountains would remind them of home. However, I don’t have long stays for a reason and that reason isn’t changing just because of the humanitarian need. I’ll donate locally once I find the right organization. Also 10% of my Airbnb net goes to a different charity each year so if I find a good organization by 2022 that’s where that money will go.
Refugees are usually extremely grateful to be offered housing and are not likely to be disrespectful of the accommodation. Mr. Massive Risk seems to be imagining that the refugees are squat in the dirt tent dwellers who’ve never seen a flush toilet before.
And so you join the passive aggressive bandwagon and turn a simple remark into a needless personal attack.
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I did not mention the Afghan people in any way. That is all you.
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Are you going to volunteer? No? How hypocritical. Nice soap box.
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We have no interest in supporting Air’s PR efforts or 3rd party bookings. We have no faith in Air’s host support in this situation. This was literally in the very same sentence as “risk”. And they say Guests don’t read …
Everyone here is well aware of Airbnb’s lack of real security deposit and lack of host support for damages. Doesn’t make hosting refugees any more risky than hosting “regular” guests.