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Airbnb’s next project is building houses
Back in 2016, Airbnb created an innovation lab called Samara, which was focused on rethinking housing and urban planning. Now, Samara has announced its new initiative -- a project dubbed Backyard that will "prototype new ways that homes can be built and shared." "Backyard isn't a house, it's an initiative to rethink the home," Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia told Fast Company. "Homes are complex, and we're taking a broad approach -- not just designing one thing, but a system that can do many things."
Airbnb hit with lawsuit for delisting Israeli settlements
Airbnb is facing a class-action lawsuit over its delisting of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Lawyers for Ma'anit Rabinovich from the West Bank settlement of Kida are seeking 15,000 shekels ($2,573) in personal damages, along with an unspecified sum on behalf others, for what they describe as "outrageous discrimination."
Airbnb will remove guest home listings in the West Bank
To date, Airbnb has argued that it would allow home listings in disputed areas in the name of connecting people. Now, it's changing its mind. The company plans to remove roughly 200 listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank after rethinking its policies for contested regions. Airbnb didn't provide a detailed explanation of its rationale in this specific instance, but noted that the listings are "at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians."
Airbnb hopes to give hosts a stake in the company
If Airbnb has its way, hosting travelers won't just get you some spending money -- it'll get you a stake in the company's future. Axios has discovered that Airbnb sent a letter to the SEC asking for the regulator to permit offering equity to hosts. Airbnb primarily supported changes to Securities Act Rule 701 that would allow offering shares to gig economy workers, not just investors and staff. CEO Brian Chesky characterized it as vital to rewarding the company's supporters.
Airbnb helps companies book team building exercises
You're probably not a fan of corporate team building exercises or offsite meetings, but Airbnb might just make them livelier and easier to organize. The service is expanding its Airbnb for Work program to streamline bookings for company events and beyond. You can sign up for group Experiences that offer team building for a minimum of fuss -- if you think your staff will bond quickly in a sailing lesson, you won't have to sweat all the details. Airbnb will also highlight homes that are helpful for offsites, so you'll know if there's a collaboration-friendly workspace on hand without having to hunt around.
Airbnb is suing NYC to keep from sharing host data
In a role-reversal, Airbnb is the one suing a city, and it's doing so to protect its hosts' privacy. In July, the New York City Council passed a regulation forcing short-term rental services to hand over hosts' names and addresses every month to help a civic crackdown on illegal listings. Airbnb's lawsuit against NYC alleges that the new law violates its users' constitutional rights.
Airbnb cancels Great Wall of China contest following backlash
Apparently, renting out a priceless ancient cultural relic as a hotel for a night isn't the best idea. That's what Airbnb learned after it advertised a contest to spend one night atop the Great Wall of China. After backlash from social media, the company has cancelled the contest.
NYC bill could force Airbnb to turn over its hosts' info
The New York City Council voted in support of regulation that would force Airbnb, HomeAway and other short-term rental services to hand over about hosts using their sites. State law already prohibits rentals of most apartments for less than 30 days unless the permanent tenant is there, but it enforcement has not been thorough. If this bill takes effect, that could change quickly. Earlier this year a similar law forcing renters to register took effect in San Francisco and half of Airbnb's listings disappeared. According to the city council, short-term rental listings reduce the amount of affordable housing available and drive up rents for residents. Airbnb could sue to try and stop the bill from being signed into law, opposing it on the grounds of privacy for hosts. The company also claims that despite what council members have said about landlords using the sites instead of taking on long-term tenants, it benefits regular people who use listings to help pay their bills.
Airbnb test allows hosts to get paid faster
While Airbnb users can book accommodations far in advance, hosts usually have to wait until 24 hours after the scheduled check-in time to see any payment. Now, Airbnb is testing a new feature that allows hosts to get their cash earlier. The new payout system sends 50 percent of the money to hosts three days after the guest has booked a stay; the other 50 percent will arrive 24 hours after check in.
Airbnb strengthens Paris presence thanks to Century 21
Airbnb has clashed with cities where it operates for awhile over regulations specific to each. Back in December, authorities in Paris started cracking down harder on the service to comply or face legal consequences. Airbnb has a new strategy to play by the rules in France's most populous city: Partnering with international real estate company Century 21 to make sure everyone gets their cut.
August automatically creates smart lock codes for Airbnb guests (updated)
Locks are a pain with home rental services like Airbnb, whether you're a host or a guest. Do you really want to pick up a spare key, or make the host generate a smart lock code just for you? August thinks it can make life a little easier on that front. If an Airbnb host has August's Smart Keypad, and one of its Smart Locks, they can automatically generate an entry code the moment you make a reservation. The code is timed for the length of the reservation and adapts to changes, so hosts won't have to worry about unscrupulous guests wandering in after their stay is over.
Airbnb lets hosts offer their homes for future emergencies
Airbnb hosts have long had the opportunity to offer free housing during emergencies. What about making yourself available ahead of time? If you live in the right area, you're set. The home rental service is launching a pilot program that will let San Jose residents put themselves on a standby list before there's even a hint of a crisis. The move should speed up the community's response in the event of a crisis, ensuring that stranded people don't have to wait for shelters over their heads.
Airbnb pulls over 48,000 rentals in Japan following recent law
If you're planning to stay at an Airbnb rental in Japan in the near future, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Airbnb has removed about 48,200 rentals (about 78 percent of those in the country) after the Japanese government ordered home sharing companies to pull any rentals booked before June 15th that didn't have license numbers issued under a recent law regulating home-based accommodations. This wouldn't be such an issue if it weren't that the June 1st order was "contrary" to previous guidance from the Japanese Tourism Agency, Airbnb said -- and officials didn't appear to care that "many" of the hosts were already registering or waiting for their licenses.
Airbnb tests its own version of Snapchat's Stories for rentals
Even Airbnb can't resist the urge to copy Snapchat, it seems. The home rental outfit is quietly beta testing a Stories feature in its iPhone app that (surprise!) lets you document your trips with photos and short videos. You can view the resulting productions both on your phone and the web, and they appear to automatically link to places in the stories along with the related accommodations. Clearly, Airbnb sees this as a marketing tool -- you might be more likely to book a rental if you see examples of what people did during their stays. It doesn't hurt that this could get you to use the app beyond scheduling your own trips.
Airbnb is encouraging tourists to visit Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico suffered the worst natural disaster in its history in September last year, when Hurricane Maria tore through the island, causing devastation that's still affecting its inhabitants. But it remains one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, and Airbnb wants to help it back on its feet with an expanded partnership effort to boost tourism to the area.
Airbnb's new maps help you find a room during big events
If you enjoy scrambling and then paying a fortune, try waiting until the last minute to book lodging at a convention. Airbnb is helping event-goers and organizers avoid such heartbreak with a new feature called Airbnb for Events. It lets organizers create interactive maps of accommodation listings close to their venues, then embed them onto event websites, much like you can a custom Google Map. That could be handy for, say, planning weddings in places where hotels are sparse, or for convention attendees using Airbnb as a hotel of last resort.
Airbnb just opened an 'Office of Healthy Tourism'
In a bid to counteract tourist saturation in major cities around the world, Airbnb is opening a new global Office of Healthy Tourism. The move is designed to bring the economic benefits of tourism to small businesses and local residents in destinations off the beaten track, while lessening the burden on popular holiday hotspots.
Facebook is hosting an online abuse summit with other tech leaders
Facebook is trying to bring all the wars it's fighting under one roof. At the "Fighting Abuse @Scale" conference later next month, the social network will host talks on combating fake news, online fraud, spam and abuse in general. There's a special focus on how the different companies in attendance are using AI and machine learning to achieve their goals.
Airbnb starts sharing Chinese hosts' info with the government
China is determined to make foreign companies bow to its surveillance rules, and that extends to home rental services. Airbnb has told hosts that it will start providing their information to Chinese government agencies on March 30th in order to obey regulations. The country requires that citizens and visitors alike register their addresses with police in the first 24 hours after they either arrive in the country or stay at a hotel.
Airbnb makes it easier to find accessible rentals
Airbnb is making quick use of the travel accessibility startup it bought a few months ago. The rental service has introduced 21 filters that help you find disability-friendly listings that meet your exact needs. You can look for ramps, wide hallways, roll-in showers and other features that can help if you use a wheelchair or otherwise have special mobility requirements. Previously, Airbnb had a simple "wheelchair accessible" filter that frequently left glaring omissions.
