Airbnb testing project that allows hosts sign up to donate emergency housing before a disaster

DDA Housing Scheme

Global online hotel and home rental marketplace, Airbnb, is expanding its Open Homes programme with a pilot project wherein hosts can list their properties before a disaster happens.

Launched last year, the Open Homes programme, was limited to allowing hosts to provide emergency shelter after disasters, without any charges until now.

Last year, when the Open Homes program was launched, the program connected willing hosts to Emergency Managers. These managers then connected with people who needed emergency housing assistance. The result, people had to wait until a host came forward offering shelter.

Airbnb is also offering an “in person preparedness training and recruitment events” for hosts and spearheading streamlining of protocols for communicating with local authorities to match up the donated space with those who need it.

At the US Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in Boston, Airbnb announced the launch of this expanded Open Homes program. The pilot project is being launched in San Jose, California. The San Jose community has already donated 17,000 nights since its launch in 2017.

Here's how it works:

“Airbnb Hosts have the ability to opt into listing their homes for $0 by visiting www.airbnb.com/welcome. Hosts are in control of how often they wish to open their homes, how long guests stay, and the causes they’d like to support.

Non-governmental agencies (NGOs) go through