In the aftermath of the deadly fire that destroyed southern California in January, Airbin was received Piles of fame The same Voucher scheme It provided free accommodation to the displaced. Local And National The media applauded the effort and led to thousands of refugees to apply.
But for many who need housing, the reviews are not blinking.
Some people applied, but never heard again. Others got a voucher, but said it was useless due to restrictions and seven -day expiration date.
Many of the victims have helped the project. Airbin.Ark, a non -profit -funded non -profit, said it was associated with 211 LA to provide free accommodation, claiming that it received 34,000 applications and sent about 11,000 vouchers. It is not clear how many vouchers were used, but the profit was said to have booked more than 60,000 free nights by the fire.
However, those who cannot afford money find this plan as one of two things: a real offer with excessive red tape, or a free PR in the midst of a historic disaster.
“If it seems to be very good, it may probably be very good,” said Todd Smoire, who got a voucher after he burned his house in Altatena, but could not use it. “It feels like a PR stunt.”
On January 7, Santa Ana worked in Hollywood when Santa Ana started blowing. With caution, if her husband started a fire, he booked the airpin in the middle of the city at the beginning of the day.
A few hours later, Eaton Canyon exploded.
Smoire entered the house to catch food for both of their dogs, and he fled the neighborhood on the way out at around 8 pm, and he called his parents.
“I know that the house is not likely to survive,” he said.
The next morning, his neighbor confirmed that there was nothing other than the brick fireplace.
He applied for the voucher the next day but not heard right now. They were booked by Mid-City Airbin until January 10. And it extended to the 12th, even though the host was raised from $ 200 per night to $ 330 per night.
The pair left the LA and stayed at Palm Springs from January 13-24, as nothing was heard from the airbin. Later, the voucher came: Airbin gave them $ 1,000 for a booking.
Smoire reached the customer service asking if he could use the loan to stay already booked. No, they said. In addition, Voucher expired seven days, on January 19.
Smoer and her husband went to a VRbo, where a compassionate host stayed for a total of $ 400 for two weeks.
“We spent more than three weeks short -term, 000 000 8,000. We tried to get a little back. We know they are making so much money. So how difficult it is to use the loan to stay already booked?” He said. “This is such a bad flavor in my mouth Left. “
Voucher project brought more than a positive PR to the short -term housing site, which has been under study in recent years Illegal lists And eating in the las Long -term housing share. It brought the business by booking the Airbinbus instead of alternatives such as hotels, hoping that they will eventually be returned.
Eleinor Green on January 8, La Kasada evacuated from his home in Flendridge and fled with his family to Clarity. He applied to the voucher that day, but did not listen again, and booked an airpin for two nights.
The discharge orders were still active in his neighborhood, so he booked the second airpin, and he spent a total of 500 1,500 between the two. On January 12, he returned to his house and it was saved.
On the same day, he approved $ 2,000 voucher.
“I felt very relieved,” he said. “This is this great light in the middle of a terrible experience.”
Green is quickly connected to the customer service and asks how to use the accommodations already paid, but it is said that you can use it before you stay, not after that.
She was cheated.
“The first reservation was done in panic, but I hoped to get some money with the second voucher, so we used the airpin instead of a hotel,” he said. “All those evacuated have already booked an airpin, so what voucher comes after a few days?”
The experience made her angry: she was not able to use the voucher, but because the company had limited the purpose of the people, and so much advertisement from something that was not useful to many victims.
“I am embarrassed at how praise they have been when they win themselves as a help when needed,” Green said. “In the meantime, they demand donations from people who think they are helping wildfire victims, but most people cannot help with this plan.”
Airbnb.org has demanded $ 9 million donations of individuals and companies since the fire began. In addition, Airbin made $ 10 million and chief executive Brian Cheski made Million 6 million.
Christof Carder, Managing Director of AirbnB.org, said the company is committed to providing 40,000 free nights through a voucher scheme already used. In addition, Airbin dismissed all the fees for those shelters.
The free housing program does not say that vouchers will never stay backwards or work on what has already been booked – or not to mention that they will not do so in the advertising campaign. It was left to customer service representatives. Carter said that there was no simple way to do that work because the booking money goes to the host, not the company.
“From a logistics and practical point of view, we have no way to make the backwards voucher applications. We see it for the future, but now we don't have that ability,” Carter said.
He said that in the first 48 hours the need was immersed in their organization.
The seven -day expiration is the result of trying to get the hands of persons who have to book emergency housing quickly, and those with outdated vouchers can contact the customer to apply for extensions.
The Times spoke of the Pacific Pollistes, which was able to receive a $ 2,000 voucher after initially denied. The person complained to the customer service, eventually received the voucher and used it to stay in Santa Monica for $ 20,000 a month.
“The thin wheel gets grease,” the person asked to be anonymous, because they did not want to affect their stay by talking to the media.
Others are not so lucky.
Some took their despair to social media. A Reded User Written They borrowed $ 1,000 and reserved to successfully stay. However, users must check for the expiration policy within seven days and seven days. By the time of the reservation, the debt expired, and they owe an additional $ 1,000 for rent.
Graham Fordier fled with his wife and two daughters on January 7. A day later he applied for a loan, and the next day he stayed at a Pasadena Airbin for three weeks, using donations accumulated by a Gofundme for 89 6,897.
Set up to start on January 18, because he had already booked hotels. His 3 1,300-credit came on January 13. Like others, it was unable to use it for his rent.
In the meantime, Fordier found a very permanent home solution by a family friend, no longer needed airbin. He tried to cancel $ 6,897, but the host said he would not return him since the two -day cancellation has already passed.
For their part, the Airbin refunded his $ 797 at the fee. But Fortier lost 6,100 as the host refused to cancel the booking.
“Your house burns. You lose everything. Hostal cannot sympathize with our situation,” Fortier said. “They may have a home in Pasadeena, but they are not a pasadenan. A real pasadenan will not do this.”
Fortier said that people have borrowed and used it to help their families to help their families in need, which increases his frustration because it may have been very useful.
“I want this project to help more people,” he said. “Our community has been destroyed. We need all the help we can get.”