Airbnb is offering free housing to LA fire victims

Airbnb says it offers free temporary accommodation to the residents of the Los Angeles area affected by the wildfires currently raging in Southern California. The company has partnered with 211 LA, a non-profit hotline that offers local information services in multiple languages. Right now, Airbnb says it’s focused on helping residents of the Altadena, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Sylmar areas. The company can expand to support other areas, and encourage locals keep an eye on his blog for updates.

Airbnb will work with 211 LA to identify residents in need of temporary housing and connect them to accommodations offered through Airbnb.org, the company’s nonprofit arm that provides free stays through funds from the company and hosts who they offer their homes during disaster situations. . The company says that more than 1.6 million nights of emergency accommodation have been provided to approximately 250,000 people.

The home sharing platform received some criticism on Twitter/X after a user posted that Airbnb had refused to book her in new lodgings farther from the fire. The company told Gizmodo that the woman had made her reservation on the afternoon of January 7, after the fire had already started, which is why it initially refused to issue a refund. Airbnb has since remedied the situation as a goodwill gesture.

Other guests who had ongoing reservations in the affected areas of Southern California are eligible to end their trips early under Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy and will receive a refund for the remaining nights of their stay. If their stay has not yet started, users can cancel for a full refund. Guests can cancel stays in affected areas without consequence.

Thank you Airbnb pic.twitter.com/4BeL26L8Yj

— Ana Mostarac (@anammostarac) January 8, 2025

Until now, at least two dead were reported and at least 1,000 structures were destroyed as three major fires continue to hit the Los Angeles area. Videos on social media depicted a devastating scene of wealthy areas including Pacific Palisades in ruins.

This is insane. The Pacific Palisades looks like a war zone. Thousands of hectares destroyed in one day. Hoping that the fire can be contained soon pic.twitter.com/1PnZOqnxCk

— litquidity (@litcapital) January 8, 2025