Airbnb announced the donation, its biggest in this state, at an event dubbed “Reimagining Home: A Community Conversation” at the CUNY Graduate Center in Midtown Manhattan. The money will go to the Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC, which has been helping low- and moderate-income New Yorkers for 40 years.
Fifth Avenue Digital
Some New Yorkers are in line for a windfall without having to buy a lottery ticket, thanks to a $1 million, multi-year Airbnb donation to help city residents repair housing.
Airbnb announced the donation, its biggest in this state, at an event dubbed “Reimagining Home: A Community Conversation” at the CUNY Graduate Center in Midtown Manhattan.
The money will go to the Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC, which has been helping low- and moderate-income New Yorkers for 40 years. The money will not be used for repairs of Airbnb host homes.
Neighborhood Housing Services said some funds will also go to its partners across the city, including Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn CDC, Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services CDC, and Brooklyn Neighborhood Services.
The San Francisco-based company said the donation is coming from the Airbnb Community Fund, created in 2020 to distribute $100 million by the end of 2030 to “strengthen communities around the world.”
Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC submitted a proposal to Airbnb, which, after numerous conversations, approved the request.
Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC CEO Tonya Ores and Airbnb Director of Community Partner Programs and Engagement Janaye IngramPhoto by Claude Solnik
“This is a substantial amount,” Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC CEO Tonya Ores said. “These funds will allow us to provide critical home repair grants to homeowners who are struggling with rising costs.”
She said they created a grant program for homeowners of up to $7,500 to “address any concerns in their homes”, such as repairs to electrical work, roofs, boilers, and even paying fines.
Airbnb hosts won’t qualify for funding, Ores added, noting “it’s not self-serving” as a way for Airbnb hosts to pay for projects.
“We want to focus on providing assistance to New York families who are facing unaffordable housing situations, and creating economic opportunities,” Airbnb Director of Community Partner Programs and Engagement Janaye Ingram said.
Center for NYC Neighborhoods CEO and Executive Director Christie Peale said its data indicates a need for repairs is “a top cause of homeowner displacement.”
This is only Airbnb’s most recent donation in New York State. In February, Airbnb announced $150,000 to organizations such as the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation and Adirondack Council.
The group, which has said that renting out spaces provides financial help to owners, has committed over $600,000 to New York State organizations via the Fund since 2021.
Although this donation relates to housing, that’s not always the case with funds in the past, including $1 million to Hawaii’s food banks in February 2025.
Grants globally have also gone to groups such as Take 3 for the Sea in Australia, the Japanese Service Dog Resource Center, Wildlife Act in South Africa, and the Hispanic Wealth Project in the United States.
Airbnb also donated to the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking, the Nature Conservancy, and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs in Atlanta to support Black entrepreneurs.
The short-term rental company does business in New York City, which requires hosts to live in and be physically present in apartments and houses when accepting up to two guests and bars the use of internal door locks.
Airbnb supports legislation that would allow New Yorkers to make offers while away, increase the guest limit to four, and allow internal door locks, so guests and hosts can have more privacy.