All my guests love my house, and me....but hate my neighborhood.

[Invisible0]

So...I have a house in downtown Atlanta. Close to all the main attractions.  Unfortunately, downtown Atlanta means "the hood".  I state in my ad, CLEARLY, that it's a rough area, and it's surrounded by abandonded buildings (housing crisis) and homelessness.  I only started in January as a host, and I'm booked every day through the end of May....but I have no shot of being a superhost...or even maintaining a 4.0.  My reviews are basically, "He's a nice guy and the house is in a great location....BUT...the neighborhood sucks." Then I'm rated a 4...or 3....and even a 2.  AirBNB, emails me telling me to get my rating higher, and even cut my listing 3 times.  Every time I call, they tell me I'm getting great reveiws....but still.....try harder.  WTF am I suppose to do to the 8 mile stretch of properties around me???  My last guest left telling me how much she loved the place and even wanted to extend the rental..... then she gave me a 3 on the ratings...which is kind of like complimenting me, then insulting me.  

So...long story short, is AirBNB just going to terminate me completely?  Because I'm close to publibly replying to these comments with "But...did you die?!?!"

[David126]

Hosts can not discriminate

Guests can not discriminate

AirBnB can?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@David126 I wonder if Aibnb susped a guest if his star rating fall bellow 4 stars?

[Rachael26]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 @Ange2 @Helen3 @Kelly149  (I want to include Wendy and David and others but that is all the include selection list offers me - so sorry others - please pass on if you can)

@Branka-and-Silvia0

That's exactly what has happened here - Nicholas was suspended for his average rating falling below 4 stars (because of all the location low stars).

here is the message Airbnb sent him  (look at Nicholas's post from earlier today - it has the link which Airbnb wont let me cut and paste into this message......) so here it is in type....

"Your listings have been temporarily paused"

"We've temporarily paused your listings because your overall rating is below 4 stars. Your listings won't appear in search results for now, but you're still responsible for any upcoming reservations you already have. You can renturn to hosting on March 23, 2017."

 !!!! 

I think this is appalling - I live less than 2 hours away from Atlanta and know the area well. This is a great case example for Airbnb to be different and back up a host that lives in a 'difficult' area. Nicholas is obviously a great host - with a great property - has been honest & genuine with his listing and his care of his guests goes above and beyond (I mean who else employs a guy to watch his guests' cars!!).

What can we do to support him??

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Rachael26, this is utter bull$hit.

Racism, discrimination, and steering.

Don't have too many black folks in the hood lest you get kicked off ABB.  Who's next?  Mexicans?  Muslims?  Asians?

What happened to "inclusive"?

@Invisible0, you have got to fight this.  I'm going to go look at West Side Chicago and Detroit listings to see what they say there.

Washington Heights, too.

When an ignorant guest can have such an impact on your livelihood, when ABB can buy into the white mantra of "bad neighborhoods vs good neighborhoods", it's time to take the gloves off.

Forget about showing economic gains and benefits to the community and all that jazz.  Your argument is that ABB, by punishing you for LOCATION, is willfully and complicitly participating in steering, a real estate practice that is in violation of our Fair Housing Laws.

Time to get angry.

[Cassandra-and-Allen0]

 @Wendy You don't need to look into west side of Chicago listings, I am following this thread and taking notes because I am getting dinged on location too. I am white, but most of my neighbors are not. We are still very new hosts, only two reviews.

One in which the guest, that drove everywhere, described the location as "good if you have a car." What? We are a block and a half from a major public train line. (Plus buses, bikes, uber...). I guess that proximity doesn't matter if people are afraid to walk around diversity.

I am concerned that people who will not be comfortable in our neighborhood will continue to book without looking at a map or reading anything about the area.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

I'm hearing you, @Cassandra-and-Allen0.  The West Side of Chicago is what I know best and let me tell you something, the best **bleep** food I ever had was in one of the hoods.

Haven't heard from @Nicholas in ages.  Not sure if he's busy fighting or exhausted trying.

[Jennifer178]

Hi @Invisible0, this is a hit parade of everything Airbnb says they are against but are perpetraiting against you by allowing others to do so. I am so sorry for the hyposcrisy, racism, judgement, small mindiness, inabilty to read, unwillingness of people to take responsibility for their choices, rudeness, lack of human decency and plain old pig ignorance.  

What the hell is Airbnb thinking by punishing someone who is trying to level the playing field, open some minds, support his neighborhood, provide a great service and make some money? This is the type of listing that Airbnb should be championing.  It turns out that the hosts (on many sites) that make the most money in predominantly black neighborhoods are white. I am sorry that I cannot find the article I read on that subject. You should be supported.

@Wendy-and-Frank0, @Rachael26 and the rest are right.  This has possible legal ramiifcations.  They cannot punish you for where you live.  You clearly stated the nature of the area.  You cannot change the neighborhood over night by yourself. But all quality of life improvements have to start somewhere.  If Airbnb wants to help make the world a better place and have us all lovey dovey and inclusive and all the other stuff, they have to actually support the ones who try to do it. 

I wish you luck in fighting this.  This is the type of public relations nightmare that Airbnb is desperate to avoid.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Jennifer178, @Invisible0, @Rachael26, @Branka-and-Silvia0,

We all saw the post about Review Flow.

ABB, if it insists on using Location as a point of review, needs to have a pulldown menu so that if you say Location is less than four stars, you can have tabs that read as follows:

Too Many Mexicans

Too Many Black Folks

Too Many Asians

Too Many Lesbians

Too Many Gays

Try THAT, ABB, and tell me what the fruggin' difference is!

[Huma0]

I would really like to see Airbnb remove location from the rating options. I am sure this has been suggested many times, including in Host Voice, but seems to be ignored.

Most of my guests like my location because it has great transport options, is very close to the city centre and has lots of places to eat/drink within walking distance. However, I have also received low ratings on location compared to the other categories (only category I have ever got three stars for) because some maybe find it too 'urban' or 'multicultural'.

I try to give plenty of info about the location, but SO many guests do not seem to want to read anything. Even though I ask that they confirm they have read the whole listing before booking, I still get stupid questions after, like, 'Is it close to a tube station?'. Doh! Not only are the transport options clearly explained in the listings, but it's in the titles, e.g. 'Double room in Victorian house near tube'. If they cant even absorb the title text, then I don't really know what else we can do...

[Ruth37]

Nicholas, safety is an important concern to all travelers, but continue to extend warm hospitality and let guests know how to maximize their safety in an area that is visually concerning.  It appears that you are making a difference in your community.  

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

Visually concerning?  Not sure what that means.  But my eyesight never made me unsafe.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

hehe welcome back @Invisible0 🙂

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

How frustrating!  Location should not be rated in reviews as there is nothing that hosts can do about that.  You are open and forthcoming with information about the area in your listing and you should not be punished for that.