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Home • News

Airbnb Disaster Response Tool Allows Louisiana Hosts to Offer Free Lodging to Evacuees

The home-sharing app activated its disaster response after the floods in Louisiana displaced tens of thousands.
Does Airbnb Combat Gentrification?
Courtesy of Airbnb
By Toni Akindele · Updated October 27, 2020
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On Monday, Airbnb activated a disaster response tool, which allows hosts to post listings of rooms and homes for free.

In addition to suspending the price minimum, which normally required to charge at least ten dollars, the company has also waived its service fees for both guests and hosts, which can range from six to 12 percent for guests.

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“People are losing everything they have,” Airbnb representative Nick Shapiro told HuffPost. “We have an ability to help people, at least in the short term, to get a comfortable bed, a home-cooked meal – which is a very different experience from what they’d get in a shelter.”

The disaster response will allow hosts to post listings for free through September 4th.