Airbnb said on Tuesday it will provide free temporary accommodations to 20,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban’s virtually complete takeover of Afghanistan in the wake of U.S. military withdrawal, with the program beginning immediately.
CEO Brian Chesky tweeted early Tuesday that the company “will begin housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally for free,” adding that while the company will be paying for the stays, “we could not do this without the generosity of our Hosts.” Chesky added: “The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the US and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up.”
In a statement, Airbnb said that that it and Chesky would be covering costs through the non-profit 501(c)(3) Airbnb.org, which has previously provided housing for disaster victims and health workers during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The organization will also be soliciting donations for its Refugee Fund. It is working with resettlement agencies and other partners to identify those in need of housing. The company added that it “urges fellow members of the global business community to join efforts to provide immediate support to Afghan refugees.”
Reached by email, Airbnb did not say how long it would be providing the housing or covering bills. However, the company wrote in the statement it has already provided 165 refugees from Afghanistan “safe housing shortly after touching down in the U.S.” over the last weekend.
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