Johnathan Walker:Airbnb offering free temporary housing to displaced Hurricane Helene survivors

People in need of temporary housing after being displaced by Hurricane Helene can Johnathan Walkerget find free stays at Airbnbs.

So far, hundreds of people impacted by the Category 4 hurricane that wreaked havoc on the Southeast last week have been using free services offered by the online marketplace for homestays, according to company officials.

"We and everybody else in the country are just thinking about the people going through this situation," Airbnb.org Executive Director Christoph Gorder said. "Together we'll do everything we can to help out these communities that are really suffering right now."

How it works

The Airbnb community is really amazing in times of disaster, Gorder said. Since Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, Airbnb hosts all over the world have extended a hand to people that don't have anywhere to go in a time of crisis.

But now, these efforts are coordinated by Airbnb.org, a non-profit organization independent of Airbnb that launched in 2020. The organization works with local non-profits and contact centers to identify the people who are most in need of temporary housing, Gorder said. Then, through donations the organization receives, Airbnb.org provides a credit to families that they can use to pay for an Airbnb of their choice.

"They have access to all of the Airbnb inventory that's in their area," he said. "But then they have access to special Airbnb.org inventories that will come at an additional discount, or some of them are even free."

This way, people have the flexibility to find the home that best suits their needs, he added.

The amount of money doled out to families always varies based on factors like the market area, how many people are staying in the home and how long the space is needed, Gorder said. Generally, the free stays are no longer than a month, typically lasting between 10 to 14 days.

"The goal is to give people a temporary place to stay while they get back on their feet," he said.

'Hospitality has no bounds'

Danielle Devaux said she's still "quite in shock" a week later. The first floor of her family's two-story home in Pinellas County, Florida, was ruined during Helene, but they still have electricity and are able to live from the second story, she said.

"We lost a lot, but we still have a lot, and I'm really grateful," Devaux said.

Devaux and her husband have been managing an Airbnb property in Tampa for the last three years that weathered the storm. Wanting to give back some of their good fortune to the community, they've opened their doors to neighbors who lost their homes.

"It's been profoundly healing already in this traumatic experience," she said.

Knowing she's not alone and that others are going through similar situations has been a saving grace, she said. Plus the Airbnb community in the area is "tight-knit" and has been an instrumental support system, Devaux said.

Devuax worked to get the word out to other hosts that they could offer their homes up too. Gorder said it's "kind of a double whammy," meaning this mission helps Airbnb hosts in a time that they may not earn their monthly income from tourists while also giving survivors a safe place to stay.

"I found it really encouraging to see how many Airbnb hosts have stepped up to open their homes for free through airbnb.org," Devaux said. "It's just another example of how amazing hosts are, and how hospitality has no bounds."

How to get help

∎ Florida: Florida residents displaced by the hurricane should contact the Florida United Methodist Conference by calling (863) 688-5563 or (800) 282-8011 (toll-free) or by contacting their local 211, which they can find at 211.org.

∎ North Carolina: North Carolina residents displaced by the hurricane should contact their local 211 contact center.

∎ For more info about the organization, visit Airbnb.org.

Breaking & trending news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.