Online vacation rental site Airbnb said its host members around the world can sign up to make their properties available for free to 20,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the chaos in their country.
Fees will be covered by Airbnb.
“The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the U.S. and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter. “I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There’s no time to waste.”
Chesky was not specific about how much the company would spend or how long the housing would be available.
Would-be hosts can sign up for the program on Airbnb.org.
“If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out, and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen!” Chesky wrote Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, Airbnb has offered free housing to 75,000 refugees, health workers, evacuees and other responders since 2012.
The United States said it has flown about 48,000 Afghan refugees out of the country, but thousands remain at Kabul airport. It is unclear how many U.S. citizens remain in the country.
The Taliban have given the U.S. until Aug. 31 to evacuate U.S. citizens.
Some information in this report comes from The Associated Press.