Post by High Priestess on Nov 7, 2017 16:04:23 GMT
There are some quite interesting stories in this article...makes me think Airbnb's non -discrimination policy may be aimed more at getting good PR than actually working fairly for both guests AND hosts.
technical.ly/dc/2017/11/06/airbnb-dc-progress/
technical.ly/dc/2017/11/06/airbnb-dc-progress/
The French couple’s Airbnb rental was in a basement apartment in Congress Heights. It was a warm Sunday night on August 8, and they chose to walk. But being tourists from out of town, they got lost.
The couple decided to ask a police offer for directions.
Soon afterwards their Airbnb host saw a police car pull up to her home in Congress Heights and the tourists got out to talk to her.
“The police said this wasn’t a safe neighborhood and that they shouldn’t stay there,” Reed told us of what her French guests said to her. They did not stay the night. Reed learned they cancelled their rental on the way over.
Reed would go on to write a complaint letter to the police captain, another to her city councilmember and another to Airbnb. But there was no way to recoup her guests, or her business, for the night.
The couple decided to ask a police offer for directions.
Soon afterwards their Airbnb host saw a police car pull up to her home in Congress Heights and the tourists got out to talk to her.
“The police said this wasn’t a safe neighborhood and that they shouldn’t stay there,” Reed told us of what her French guests said to her. They did not stay the night. Reed learned they cancelled their rental on the way over.
Reed would go on to write a complaint letter to the police captain, another to her city councilmember and another to Airbnb. But there was no way to recoup her guests, or her business, for the night.
But host Keeling says racial bias can make trusting the guests you get over Instant Booking difficult for hosts of color. During a panel discussion between hosts of color and Airbnb representatives at the Congressional Black Caucus this fall, Keeling mentioned how Instant Booking can expose hosts to racist guests and cancellations.
“I explained the importance of vetting and making sure it’s really and truly a good match and that they have the right expectations,” Keeling told us,” Keeling said. “And I can’t ask those questions over Instant Booking.”
One way Keeling – and Washington, and Reed – have tried to vet guests on their own is by describing what they offer in their listing description. All three told us they use phrases like “majority-minority neighborhood”, “urban”, “gentrifying”, “working class”, or “transformative” to alert guests their neighborhood is predominately African American. But the hosts feel there’s only so much they can do.
“We had guests explicitly state that they didn’t feel safe because there are so many people of color,” Reed said to us. “I can’t help you with that. That’s who we are.”
It’s a situation they said also hurts their bottom line, which is a critical paycheck for them.
“I explained the importance of vetting and making sure it’s really and truly a good match and that they have the right expectations,” Keeling told us,” Keeling said. “And I can’t ask those questions over Instant Booking.”
One way Keeling – and Washington, and Reed – have tried to vet guests on their own is by describing what they offer in their listing description. All three told us they use phrases like “majority-minority neighborhood”, “urban”, “gentrifying”, “working class”, or “transformative” to alert guests their neighborhood is predominately African American. But the hosts feel there’s only so much they can do.
“We had guests explicitly state that they didn’t feel safe because there are so many people of color,” Reed said to us. “I can’t help you with that. That’s who we are.”
It’s a situation they said also hurts their bottom line, which is a critical paycheck for them.