Airbnb makes good on its promise to house the displaced
Airbnb said it would help hosts take in refugees and evacuees as a response to President Trump’s attempted immigration ban, and it’s following through on that promise. The home rental service has launched a promised website that lets you volunteer to host people who need temporary housing, focusing on refugees and those displaced by natural disasters. As before, it’s also accepting suggestions for other groups that could benefit from the offer.
The goal remains lofty: Airbnb wants to house 100,000 people in the space of 5 years. That’s no mean feat, but the company has at least some experience in arranging these selfless gestures. It already encourages hosts to take in people affected by terrorist attacks and other incidents — in a sense, this is the next logical step. There’s no guarantee that this initiative will meet its targets, but it could serve as an important complement to official housing efforts if it catches on.
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