Airbnb to provide housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, says CEO Brian Chesky

Airbnb said on Monday it is offering free short-term housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.

“Airbnb and Airbnb.org are working with our Hosts to house up to 100,000 refugees fleeing from Ukraine, for free," Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky posted on Twitter. The company will also work with neighbouring European states to provide long-term stays.

Chesky added, “We need help to meet this goal. The greatest need we have is for more people who can offer their homes in nearby countries, including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania. If you can host a refugee, go here: http://airbnb.org/get-involved.”



Chesky also wrote to the governments of Poland, Romania, Germany and Hungary, offering support for housing refugees, according to a statement from Airbnb. The housing will be funded by the company, donors and hosts on the platform.

Airbnb.org, a nonprofit established by the home-sharing company, will work with resettlement agencies and NGOs to place Ukrainian refugees across the world. The stays will be funded by Airbnb, donors to Airbnb.org’s Refugee Fund and Airbnb hosts offering discounted or free accommodation.

Chesky urged people to donate to Airbnb the programme. “All stays are free for refugees, funded by Airbnb, Airbnb.org donors and through the generosity of hosts," he said.

“While we work to finalise these details, refugees and asylum seekers who are in need of immediate support can get help from: http://help.unhcr.org/ukraine," he said.

Ukraine has more than 17,000 short-term rentals, according to a Bloomberg report, which cited market research firm AirDNA.

While the crisis is still ongoing, more than 300,000 Ukrainians have left following Russia’s invasion and the European Commission forecasts that the number could grow to millions, Bloomberg reported.

Last year, Airbnb had helped to resettle refugees following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, providing housing to more than 21,000 people. The company operates in more than 220 countries and regions.

(With inputs from Agencies)