Airbnb Is Offering Free Housing to 20,000 Afghan Refugees

On the heels of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the company's charitable arm, Airbnb.org, has decided to temporarily accommodate refugees by opening up property listings from all over the world. According to the New York Times, the initiative will be funded via donations made to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund, as well as contributions made by Airbnb and CEO Brian Chesky. All and all, the Refugee Fund is hoping to raise $25 million and work with resettlement agencies, federal and state governments to help Afghans fleeing the

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Granted, the company didn't say how long refugees would be able to stay, though it's apparently offering both short and long-term stays. Additionally, Airbnb already placed 165 refugees in US-based properties this past weekend with the help of the International Rescue Committee.

"The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the U.S. and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up," Chesky tweeted on Tuesday. "I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There's no time to waste."

See Chesky's announcement for yourself, below.

While we will be paying for these stays, we could not do this without the generosity of our Hosts.

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021

If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen!

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021

I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There’s no time to waste.

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021

Photo via Getty / Lionel Bonaventure