Airbnb rolls out new rules
Company revises standards for guests in wake of killings at mansion in Bay Area
In response to the deaths of five people at a mansion party in a Bay Area town, Airbnb announced changes last month aimed at protecting the safety of users and bolstering faith in the brand, including a promise to review all 7 million listings on the site by the end of 2020. In a blog post last week, the short-term rental company laid out a list of safety-related priorities designed to promote community trust.
Airbnb said it has dedicated $150 million to improving community guidelines in three areas starting next year: guest standards, a ban on “party houses” and adding a dedicated line for local officials to contact representatives directly for questions of policy and procedure.
“Airbnb is founded on trust, and for us to succeed in our vision of helping anyone belong anywhere, we must continue to build trust both among our
The company says it’s cracking down in five areas: excessive noise, unauthorized guests, parking, smoking and guests who require excessive cleaning after checkout. The aim, according to Airbnb, is to provide a “clear and actionable enforcement framework” for violations of the new policies.
own host-and-guest community and across the communities in which we operate,” said Margaret Richardson, Airbnb’s vice president of trust, in a statement.
The company did not detail, however, details of its plan to verify its millions of listings. CEO Brian Chesky said last month that the review would use a combination of company and community resources — guests, in other words.
On the guest-standards front, the company says it’s cracking down in five areas: excessive noise, unauthorized guests, parking, smoking and guests who require excessive cleaning after checkout. The aim, according to Airbnb, is to provide a “clear and actionable enforcement framework” for violations of the new policies.
The ban on party houses will put an end to “open-invite” parties and large gatherings that take place in multifamily residencies like apartments and condos. Private parties and events will be spared only when they are “authorized by hosts and convened respectfully by guests” — so the key, in these cases, is host consent.
In offering a dedicated line for city officials, Airbnb hopes to calm the testy-at-times relationship it has with local governments that have sought to regulate the entry of the company into private spaces through taxation and zoning enforcement. In building the partnerships, Airbnb will work to secure firm footing as it pushes into new regions and cities through its nine-year Olympic Games deal.
Chesky said on Twitter last month that verification is a necessary step for the industry, and through the Guest Guarantee and Neighborhood Hotline, the company hopes to shore up community trust.
Some critics are not so sure. Mike Lux, president of American Family Voices and AirbnbWatch, said in a statement to The Washington Post: “Their response today is unacceptable, and local leaders across the country have to stand up. If Airbnb refuses to commit to an adequate effort
to improve safety, our government leaders at all levels need to step in. Otherwise, how many shootings or fatalities have to occur until government leaders say enough is enough?”
Observers of the industry that Airbnb has dominated since its founding more than 10 years ago say that the move marks progress.
Stephen Barth, a lawyer and professor of hotel and restaurant management at the University of Houston, said the announcement by Airbnb is a step in the right direction for the company, and even though there’s a long way to go before it can offer the security and assurances of the hotel industry, it shows the home-sharing site is serious about safety concerns.
“It demonstrates that they’re listening and they’re taking some steps,” Barth said.
“Is it comprehensive? No, but to be fair to them, I think they’re very clear that it’s not necessarily meant to be, because they’re going to add more to it as they go along.”
Barth noted how the speed of tech startups typically outpaces the law, with Airbnb fighting litigation from multiple local governments. He said the company has bigger challenges than smoking and parties.
Barth said there are still many unknown factors when considering user-owned units because even though the unit itself may check out, there are numerous inconsistencies across locations, like smoke and carbon monoxide alarm standards, for example.
Airbnb said it will keep evaluating the policies it implements while keeping residents, communities and policymakers a central part of the process.
“Our north star will remain investments that enhance trust and safety for our hosts and guests and within the neighborhoods our hosts call home,” the company said.