2. July 2026
Q&A: Inside the Mission of Airbnb.org with your Miami Community Leaders
The Miami & the Keys host club community leaders, Jacomina and Pascal, sat down with Airbnb.org's Engagement Lead, Kat Boratko, to understand the inner workings of Airbnb.org and how it supports hosts affected by disasters. Here's their discussion:
Miami Community Leader: We’re so thankful you're joining us. Kat works at Airbnb.org and knows everything about the organization. Can you share Airbnb.org's mission?
Airbnb.org: Thanks for having me. The mission of Airbnb.org is to provide free emergency housing to people during disasters and other crises.
Miami Community Leader: How did the organization get started?
Airbnb.org: The idea started with a host named Shell in New York. During Hurricane Sandy in 2012, she saw how much her neighbors were impacted and wanted to open her space for free. She reached out to the Airbnb team, and that’s where the idea originated. After years of exploring that, we officially launched Airbnb.org in 2020 as a non-profit organization to leverage the host community and our listings around the world for good.
Miami Community Leader: You mentioned Shell wanted to give her place for free, which is amazing. But I know many hosts feel they can’t afford to do that. Is a free listing still a requirement?
Airbnb.org: It is not a requirement. While that was the inspiration, we know that "free isn't free" for hosts; they have mortgages, rent, and utilities to pay. Our program raises money through donations. When we work with guests, they stay for free, but hosts always get paid, and Airbnb.org covers the cost. If hosts want to go above and beyond, they can offer a discount to stretch the funding, but it’s not necessary.
Miami Community Leader: How do guests use those credits? Do they choose the listing?
Airbnb.org: Yes. We provide guests with credits directly in the app. They can search the platform to find the listing that best suits their family’s needs, such as multiple bedrooms for kids or a yard for pets. They can look for housing near work and school to keep their lives as undisturbed as possible. Guests can book any listing available on the platform.
Miami Community Leader: Aside from discounting, how can a host donate?
Airbnb.org: Hosts can make one-time donations on our website. In the US and several other countries, they can also set up a recurring donation directly from their host payout in their payment settings. If you set a percentage, you’ll receive regular impact updates to see how your donations are helping globally.
Miami Community Leader: I’ve seen an "Airbnb.org supporter" badge on some profiles. How do hosts get that?
Airbnb.org: There are two ways. First, by signing up for an ongoing payout donation. Second, by providing an ongoing discount for Airbnb.org stays on a specific listing. You can manage this in your listing settings, and you can turn it on or off whenever you like: for instance, activating it during hurricane season.
Miami Community Leader: How quickly does Airbnb.org mobilize when a disaster strikes?
Airbnb.org: Our emergency response team tracks disasters globally using many of the same tools as Airbnb’s internal crisis management team. If we already have a non-profit partner in place, we can start a response within 24 hours. The key factor is having both available listings and a local non-profit partner, who acts as our "eyes and ears" on the ground to identify those most in need.
Miami Community Leader: How do you vet guests to ensure they really need the service?
Airbnb.org: Our partners sign an agreement with us and are responsible for vetting guests who have been impacted and are in need. Additionally, every guest booking through Airbnb.org must have an Airbnb account and undergo all standard eligibility checks and identity verification that any other guest on the platform does.
Miami Community Leader: What is the average Airbnb.org length of stay?
Airbnb.org: It varies. For something like wildfires, stays might be a few nights until people can return. For flooding or hurricanes, it could be a couple of weeks. We typically aim for stays of less than one month. We provide a comfortable "gap" while guests figure out their medium or long-term plans with insurance or FEMA.
Miami Community Leader: If a host is affected by a storm and needs help, what do they do?
Airbnb.org: We have a program called "Hosts Helping Hosts." If a host's primary home is impacted by a natural disaster and Airbnb.org is responding to that event, we can connect them directly to our program without needing a non-profit partner. We share a form through our host clubs, and anyone affected can fill it out so our team can provide credits.
Miami Community Leader: Is there anything you’d like to highlight that I didn't ask about?
Airbnb.org: I would emphasize that we are always looking for connections to local non-profits. If hosts know of organizations doing incredible work in their town, please let us know. Building those relationships ahead of a disaster is important. Also, we are launching a global medical stays program that provides free housing for people traveling for critical illness treatment. It’s an area where we can provide a real home for families rather than a hotel, and I’d love to talk more about that in the future.
I'm really, really proud of the growth our Airbnb.org team has achieved and the impact we've had.
Miami Community Leader: Thank you, Kat, for taking the time to explain Airbnb.org to our hosts.
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Our interview with Kat is part four in our disaster preparedness series - you can read the previous articles here:
- When the Power Fails but the Vacation Continues: Hosting Through Minor Storms
- When the State Shuts Down: Navigating Evacuations, Security Vulnerabilities, and Major Storms
- The Self-Reliant Host
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