How Airbnb is helping the homeless.

 

Photo by Sarwer e Kainat Welfare: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-clothing-giving-an-old-man-water-3996734/

Within many countries around the world, the homelessness crisis is something that engulfs many parts of not only Britain but many other countries as well. Many things can put someone in a situation where they have to be on the street and sometimes it’s not even the person’s fault. It can involve many factors from a problem with an addiction to family issues that cause the person to be kicked out onto the street. Shelter states that “More than 274,000 people are homeless in England right now, including 126,000 children, according to new research published by Shelter today.” With the amount of impact it has within the UK alone, it is no surprise that governments and charities are now scrambling to find a solution, especially with the cost of living crisis tipping many families into homelessness.

Many charities have sprung up to help homelessness and even though this has a small impact on homelessness happening it has become more important that corporations and governments step up to fight the issue with housing prices becoming higher and the prices of important necessities like gas, water, and food which have risen exponentially over the years, especially in Britain. This has involved people having to take out loans to cover the necessities like eating. As the Guardian states “About 70% said they would turn their heating on less, while 11% said they were considering taking out a loan to cover extra costs. That figure rose to 17% for those with children.” With this crisis happening something as simple as owning a home has become more important than ever and this shows the importance of people offering homes to the homeless who need them even if that is for a short time.

Airbnb is a company that has been around for many years now and has been offering the opportunity for millions of people to rent out their homes and get an opportunity to earn a living through this. Airbnb allows people who can’t afford a normal hotel to stay in a place that is either of similar quality or higher quality to a hotel at the same or cheaper rate making luxury holidays more available to people who wouldn’t have normally afforded them beforehand. Since Airbnb, it has been easier for people to rent out their houses to people and it has given people who own these houses a chance to make a living, especially people who have the space within their house and that struggle to make money through more traditional jobs. The Zebra states that “ Today, it has over 150 million users and hosts more than half a billion guests per year.”

An example of emergency housing that is used for the homeless is within hotels and this was more evident during covid where in Britain the homeless population was taken off the street and put into temporary accommodations like hotels which is proof that something can be done to give homeless people shelter. Near the end of the pandemic while opening up homeless people who were given accommodation were now forced back onto the street to make space for tourists. The Guardian states that “In some areas this will result in a large number of people, up to 50% of those currently housed, returning to the streets at a time when homelessness services, such as day centers and night shelters, remain closed.”

So if more commercial hotels are guarded when it comes to opening up to homeless people then maybe services like Airbnb can be more welcoming. Airbnb listings are run by people who are disconnected from the commercial hotel space and some are owned within people’s everyday homes. With that being the case Airbnb may end up being more welcoming than commercial hotels. Helen3 on Airbnb community stated that “I do share my home with young homeless people through a local scheme, which offers young vetted homeless people who would otherwise be on the streets with a safe place and meal for the night with vetted hosts.” There are many examples of how giving control of hotel ownership to people can bring a positive impact not only on the hotel market but on the outer community as well.

Money states that “In terms of monthly accommodation costs, renting is more expensive than buying a home. According to the HomeLet Rental Index, the average rent paid in the UK was £1,069 per calendar month in February 2022.” Even with buying a house being the cheaper option the chance of being able to quickly buy a house on minimum wage is very low let alone for someone on benefits. Having temporary accommodation not only can help improve someone’s mental health but it can also give time for the homeless person to find permanent accommodation and find permanent well-paying work. For economic benefit, this can help not only bring the rate of people living on the street down but it can also possibly boost the stats of people in work and mental health statistics.

Airbnb can help with this crisis through the quality that can be offered by hotels on Airbnb. Having individual people offering these services adds a more welcoming presence for the people who need it. This is more likely to give the homeless population a chance to rebuild their lives in a safe environment instead of suffering on the street. Even though the British council can help homeless people get into accommodation this can sometimes vary on many different factors that many homeless people may not meet especially when there is a long waiting list for this type of housing as there currently is. Shelter states that “The council must carry out an assessment and provide emergency housing if you qualify.”

With people becoming homeless daily there has been a growing need for accommodation whether that be temporary or permanent. Airbnb has thousands of properties that are put onto its service daily and this is something that could potentially keep up with the demand of people needing accommodation with it not being permanent the accommodation can be used both as a hotel and also constantly help the people who need it. This can also inspire people to make money from the service in the future especially if many people had already had good experiences regarding having to stay with others who use it.