Airbnb has announced this Monday that it will offer free, temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine.
The company will fund these stays with help from Airbnb hosts and donations to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund.
Over 500,000 Ukrainians have escaped since the war began. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday that Kyiv still hopes for a diplomatic resolution with Russia even as Moscow sends more troops and weapons to its border.
“We need help to meet this goal,” Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter. “The greatest need we have is for more people who can offer their homes in nearby countries, including Poland, Germany, Hungary, and Romania,” Chesky tweeted.
The initiative is part of Airbnb’s efforts to support refugees through the company’s nonprofit, Airbnb.org.
In September, the company had announced a similar plan to provide free, short-term housing to 40,000 Afghan refugees, double the initial goal of 20,000 announced in August. As of last week, Airbnb said it has provided housing to 21,300 Afghan refugees.
Airbnb and Airbnb.org have settled about 54,000 refugees and those who have been granted asylum from many countries. This includes Syria, Venezuela, and Afghanistan with “temporary housing over the last five years”, the company said. Its refugee fund has been started last year.
Airbnb has not yet revealed the scope and duration of this plan to facilitate the settlement. “More information about how hosts can support this initiative, such as by offering free or discounted stays, will be provided in the coming days”, the company said.
