Open Homes biedt mensen gratis onderdak in tijden van nood. Airbnb-hosts kwamen in 2012 zelf met het idee voor Open Homes. Nadat New York door de orkaan Sandy was getroffen, besloten hosts hun woningen gratis aan te bieden aan buren die noodgedwongen moesten evacueren. Dankzij dat inspirerende gebaar werd Open Homes een officieel onderdeel van Airbnb.

Sindsdien is het programma uitgebreid en helpen we ook geëvacueerden, hulpverleners, vluchtelingen en asielzoekers. We werken samen met betrouwbare non-profitorganisaties zoals Mercy Corps, het International Rescue Committee en HIAS om het programma verder te ontwikkelen en gratis huisvesting te vinden voor hun cliënten in tijden van nood.

Open Homes-verblijven zijn altijd gratis voor de gasten. Sommige hosts bieden hun accommodatie gratis aan via Open Homes door zich aan te sluiten bij de Open Homes-community. Als je je niet hebt aangemeld om gasten gratis via Open Homes te ontvangen, krijg je gewoon je gebruikelijke betaling wanneer je een Open Homes-reservering hebt. Airbnb ziet af van alle servicekosten voor deze reserveringen.

Open Homes hosts have many of the same expectations as regular Airbnb hosts. Hosts must meet Airbnb’s hospitality standards, which include accurately representing your listing and availability, as well as providing a safe, secure, and clean space for guests. All hosts and guests are required to uphold Airbnb’s community standards.

Almost anyone can sign up to be an Open Homes host. The listings available on the site are as diverse as the hosts who list them, and you can post shared spaces, private rooms, or entire homes. Find out more about home types to see how to describe your space.

Sometimes a staff member from one of our nonprofit partners will book on behalf of their client and may have additional requests based on their client’s needs. In these cases, the nonprofit staff member will communicate with the host ahead of time to make sure your space is a good fit.

Open Homes provides free places to stay for people in times of need. The program supports evacuees, relief workers, refugees, and asylum seekers.

If you’re a guest in need of emergency housing, learn more about how to book an Open Homes stay. Check this article and the Open Homes page regularly to find the most current programs and eligibility requirements, which are subject to change.

Disaster relief

In the aftermath of a disaster, there is a critical need for emergency housing. In this instance, people impacted by the disaster, including relief workers, have the ability to submit their request for housing to Airbnb. After verification, they may book an Open Homes listing directly for themselves.

To be eligible for emergency housing, guests must reside in the impacted area or be a relief worker responding in an official capacity. Both permanent residents and travelers with a confirmed hotel or rental reservation are eligible. Guests are required to provide proof of address or confirmation of employment during the application process. Once they submit their application, their information will be reviewed by Airbnb or its vendors before they can book.

Learn more about Disaster relief stays.

Refugee housing

There are many barriers for people who are trying to rebuild their lives in a new place. Before settling into permanent housing, refugees and asylum-seekers need to finalize paperwork, search for jobs, and find a temporary place to stay. In this instance, a staff member from a nonprofit will book an Open Homes reservation on behalf of the guest. All guests have the legal status of a recognized refugee entitled to international protection as determined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and/or have begun the process of seeking asylum in the country where they currently reside.

Learn more about Refugee housing.

Open Homes provides free places to stay for people in times of need. In order to book an Open Homes stay as a guest, you must meet eligibility requirements and be approved.

Applying for a stay

Disaster relief

If you've been impacted by a disaster and are in need of emergency housing, go to our Disaster Relief page to find events that qualify for an Open Homes stay. If you can't ind the event that you've been impacted by, free stays are not currently available.

Once you find an event, log into or create an Airbnb account to confirm your address. You’ll need to answer a few questions and agree to our Community Standards and the Airbnb Terms of Service.

After you submit your request, we may call you to check on additional details. If we can’t verify your information or it doesn’t meet our eligibility criteria, you’ll receive an email within 24 hours.

Refugee housing

To be approved for Refugee housing, you must be referred by a nonprofit partner. It isn't possible to apply for Open Homes Refugee housing as an individual at this time. 

Learn more about the nonprofits that we partner with on the Open Homes page.

Booking a stay

If you’re approved, you'll receive an email inviting you to browse available stays. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Read all of the information in the email invitation. It will tell you more about what kind of stay you can book.
• You may need to book your stay within certain dates. Make sure to refer to your email invitation for this information.
• Check the listing details, like number of bedrooms and amenities, as well as the photos to confirm a place is a good fit. If you have any questions, reach out to the host by clicking or tapping Contact host on the listing page.
• Make sure your stay is booked for the purpose defined by each program. If a stay doesn’t meet the program requirements, it'll be canceled according to the host’s cancellation policy.

Whether you signed up to host for free on Open Homes or have received an Open Homes booking request, here are a few things to keep in mind to help you prepare for your guests:

• Communicate clearly
• Try to learn about their needs and how you can help make their stay more comfortable
• Unlike regular guests on Airbnb, Open Homes guests are often traveling due to unexpected and difficult circumstances. Remember that everyone responds differently and has different needs
• Make sure you’re accessible to your guests and easy to communicate with
• Explain the check-out time and process to your guests beforehand. Include your expectations about cleaning the listing, if any

Hosting an Open Homes stay can be different across programs. Many guests referred by a nonprofit will have the support of a staff member throughout. You can learn more on our dedicated sites:

• Disaster relief
• Medical stays
• Refugee housing

Learn more about Airbnb’s hosting standards.

Alle hosts, gasten en non-profitpartners kunnen in geval van problemen en vragen over Open Homes-reserveringen zeven dagen per week van 9.00 tot 17.00 uur (Pacific Standard Time) terecht bij onze speciale klantenservice. Je kunt contact opnemen via e-mail.

Verder zijn de ondersteuningsexperts van Airbnb dag en nacht bereikbaar. Neem contact met ons op als je hulp nodig hebt wanneer de speciale klantenservice niet bereikbaar is.

Wat als je je onveilig voelt tijdens een verblijf?

Bij een noodgeval of wanneer je persoonlijke veiligheid gevaar loopt tijdens een verblijf, moet je direct contact opnemen met de lokale politie of de hulpdiensten.

Neem contact op met ons Vertrouwen- en Veiligheidsteam wanneer je je zorgen over je veiligheid maakt en hulp van Airbnb nodig hebt.

Lees voor het begin van je verblijf onze veiligheidstips.