Hosts nationwide have submitted tens of thousands of messages to their Members of Congress and Senators in the last 48 hours to ask for support

As negotiations continue on emergency economic relief measures to help Americans and industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this weekend Airbnb hosts -- including many in Maryland -- urged federal lawmakers to include measures to support them through the ongoing crisis. In total, hosts nationwide have sent more than 40,000 messages to their Members of Congress and Senators.

The US Travel Association projects that decreased travel due to COVID-19 will inflict an $809 billion hit on the US economy and eliminate 4.6 million travel-related American jobs this year. With home sharing now comprising an estimated 10% of US consumer spending on overnight stays, the impacts of this economic crisis will be felt by everyday people who share their assets on Airbnb.

The advocacy by hosts comes after Chris Lehane, Airbnb’s Vice President of Policy and Communications, sent a letter to federal lawmakers last week urging them to consider measures to financially support Airbnb hosts during this time of crisis and recovery.

“Twelve years ago, the federal government stepped in to help the auto and banking industries for the sake of our broader economy, but didn’t provide similar support for everyday people. Since the financial crisis, and in part because of its lasting fallout, millions of Americans turned to online marketplaces such as Airbnb to help them get by,” Lehane said. “Let’s show we have learned the lessons from that last crisis and make sure that this time, financial support goes to the everyday Americans and small business owners that power the American economy, and not just the large corporations.”

In a memo attached to the letter sent to lawmakers, the company highlighted:

• more than half of hosts (53%) said their Airbnb income helped them stay in their homes;
• half of hosts surveyed (49%) said they were hosting on Airbnb to help make ends meet;
• nearly one in five (18%) said hosting on Airbnb helped them avoid eviction or foreclosure;
• 58% of hosts in the US are women;
• Americans aged 60 and older, many of whom live on fixed incomes, account for nearly one in every five of all US hosts; and
• 14% of US hosts said they or someone in their household is an educator.

“We want to ensure help gets directly to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who keep our growing travel industry humming and depend on income earned on Airbnb to make ends meet,” Lehane said. “These are the small business owners and solo entrepreneurs – many of them women, seniors and teachers – who are vital to their local economies and now struggling because of this crisis. They do not have legacy brands with thousands of shareholders to answer to or massive assets to fall back on, and without relief from Congress they will continue to suffer.”

To help hosts, the company is asking lawmakers to make sure the third COVID-19 economic package includes, among other measures, clarifying SBA loan eligibility requirements to include short-term rental and Experiences hosts, and adding unemployment assistance measures that ensure hosts are eligible for relief.

Below are some of the stories shared with Airbnb and lawmakers out of Maryland. (Note: Additional stories from across the state are available upon request.)

“This has cut my income in half. I am a single, full-time teacher, and I rent out bedrooms in my home to visiting NIH interns and other government employees. I use my Airbnb long-term rental income (all of my reservations are a month or longer) to make ends meet. I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills after this month.”- Laura, Rockville, Maryland

“After my husband passed away five years ago, renting a room with Airbnb has been my only source of income besides my Social Security. I am 78 years old and at this point in my life it will be so difficult to find a job. I ask you please to consider including me in some kind of relief. I’ll be very thankful if you can pay attention to my petition and to the petition of thousands of individuals like me.” Jeannette, Adelphi, Maryland

“As an Annapolis resident, I am able to share my home and host United States Naval Academy cadets and their families during important weekends for the academy, as well as other visitors to the city. Because travel will be halted for the next couple of months, we as hosts expect to be impacted dramatically. This is an unprecedented time for business owners and large corporations alike, and we all likely can’t predict what’s in store for the travel and hospitality industry, but for those of us who are directly affected by it, it is a little scary.”- Catherine, Annapolis, Maryland

"I depend on my income from hosting on the Air BNB platform. It makes my house payment and utility bill. All my reservations have been cancelled. Many older people like myself depend on this income to cover their basic costs. Please do not forget us. We are very much part of the hospitality industry that is suffering due to the pandemic.” George, Baltimore, Maryland

“Please help me save my farm and continue to pay my bills and survive during this pandemic. I have a farm stay tourist location with research and educational components. I have lost all of my bookings for my busy season as guests who stay at the farm have all canceled and their deposits have all been returned. I can’t pay my farm mortgage or my own pay to cover my personal home due to the entire lost income. I need assistance and direction on how to get necessary grants so I can proceed with normal farming and a loan to cover expenses. We plan on continued farming but need cash to get our field, seeds, labor and supplies. I am a very popular agri-tourism farm that plays a role in many other businesses in Frederick County.”- Dawn, Ijamsville, Maryland