No Airbnb room charge for Attica fire victims

Victims of wildfires that engulfed a seaside town northeast of Athens on Monday, damaging or destroying hundreds of homes, have scrambled to find shelter, so Airbnb stepped in to set up those in need with free rooms. The fires – the deadliest in the country’s history – overwhelmed the resort town of Mati at the height of the tourism season, forcing residents and holidaymakers to run for their lives and plunge into the sea. Online accommodation marketplace Airbnb activated its “Open Homes” program, which matches displaced victims and aid workers with local hosts that have spare rooms they provide free of charge. The concept began in 2012 after Superstorm Sandy struck parts of the United States and has now taken on a global disaster role, responding to 250 disasters and housing about 11,000 people, according to Airbnb. “Through Open Homes, travelers whose journeys have been interrupted as well as temporarily displaced locals will be able to connect with local hosts who are opening up their homes at no charge,” said regional director Hadi Moussa in a statement. “Housing needs are absolutely critical in the aftermath of a disaster,” said Ilan Kelman, researcher at the Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction in London. Other companies offering solutions include Shelter In A Day, which was founded by a furniture maker in Florida and has developed an eco-friendly home that can be built by two people in three hours without electricity.