Airbnb will allow anyone, not just current hosts, to sign up to host Afghan refugees • TechCrunch

Airbnb announced on Thursday that it would allow anyone with available space to register to provide housing for Afghan refugees. The new initiative aims to build on Airbnb’s initial commitment provide free temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees.

The company says existing Airbnb hosts and anyone else can sign up to offer free or discounted stays to Afghan refugees through its dedicated service. emergency accommodation site. Airbnb notes that it waives its fees on all refugee stays. For those who can’t open their homes but are still eager to help, Airbnb says they can help with the crisis by donating money to support Afghan refugee housing.

On Tuesday, Airbnb announced its initial commitment to house 20,000 Afghan refugees and said the company would cover housing costs, using funds from contributions to its nonprofit Airbnb.org and a specific fund for refugees. refugees created by this division, as well as personal contributions. from Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky himself.

“Since the announcement, we have received tremendous interest from members of the Airbnb community and beyond, who are looking for ways to support Airbnb and Airbnb.org’s work with partner organizations to host Afghan refugees. In many cases, we’ve heard from people who want to offer their space for free,” the company said. in a report. “The response has been overwhelming and today we are sharing more details on how people can help us expand our efforts to meet this unprecedented need for temporary emergency stays for refugees arriving from Afghanistan.

Airbnb.org and Airbnb are also extending their support to the federal government, as well as states and cities that have expressed interest in hosting refugees to help provide stays as needed.

The company’s housing initiatives come at a time when tens of thousands of people are trying to flee Afghanistan. Amid the crisis, businesses and governments are facing increasing pressure to help refugees fleeing the country. There are currently nearly 2.5 million registered refugees from Afghanistan, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.