Airbnb's practice of overriding host cancellation policies and refusing damage claims is forcing hosts and owners into financial ruin and foreclosure. Many hosts have dedicated multiple properties to Airbnb guests.  Airbnb has historically disregarded their host's cancellation policies forcing hosts to act as Travel Insurance entities by making hosts financially responsible for guests cancellations - against the host's stated cancellation policies. 

Airbnb, at their sole discretion, consistently deny damage deposit claims against security deposits they claim to collect on the hosts behalf.  Airbnb forces hosts/owners to bear the financial burden of cancellations and damages while they collect exhorbitant fees.   

Airbnb's ill-conceived business practices have perilous consequences for hosts, counties, and municipalities as Airbnb fails to consider the economic impact on the municipalities that rely on substantial occupancy taxes paid by Airbnb guests and hosts.   

Even more disturbing is that Airbnb fails to consider the impact that potential foreclosures will have on thousands of cities in terms of court costs and lost property tax revenue.  The implications for overriding guest cancellation policies are huge and far-reaching amounting to a huge loss of travel revenue for hosts and local economies.Airbnb's policies literally place cities and countries around the world at finanical risk. 

Cancellation Policies are set in accordance with the risk that a given owner is able to absorb. By usurping the owners policy and essentially commandeering decisions relative to the property, Airbnb is overstepping its authority and putting it's hosts at risk. 

Airbnb does not offer Travel Insurance. Hosts should not be forced to insure guests against major disasters. If another pandemic, massive  earthquake, fire or other natural disaster occurs hosts will be required to bear the burden of yet another wave of mass cancellations.  Airbnb's strong-arm policies are shortsighted and potentially perilous. 

Further, failing to offer financial grants, in light of COVID19, to none other than SuperHosts fails to support hosts who generate substantial revenue for Airbnb that offer properties in areas that are challenged by issues outside of their control including homelessness and the resultant blight in areas like San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Seattle, to name a few. Airbnb's lack of support for these hosts demonstrates a blatant disregard for hosts that have to work twice as hard to maintain both the neighborhood and their furnished rental to continually attract guests and much need revenue to otherwise safe, warm, and wonderful neighborhoods.  

Airbnb owes its existence to it's hosts/owners and they deserve the protection of their cancellation policies.  If Airbnb hosts/owners are not protected,  the cities and counties are at risk, as well. Therefore, like the mortgage crisis, Airbnb has created a similar crises during COVID19 that has placed local economies all over the world at risk. 

Airbnb needs to stop creating indentured servants out of hosts/owners that provide the valuable inventory for their rental platform.  They need to protect their guests by providing Travel Insurance.  All COVID19 hosts that suffered from Airbnb's mass cancellations should be reimbursed retroactively according to their stated cancellation policies.