City of Asheville shares info about Airbnb Renter Protection Policy, state federal rental assistance resources

Asheville -- City of Asheville Community News August 4, 2021 by Polly McDaniel

City staff has heard from residents that there is a concern about rental evictions, even though the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) has now issued a new order temporarily halting evictions in counties with heightened levels of COVID-19 transmission through Oct. 3.

The City of Asheville is committed to partnerships that identify housing solutions in Asheville, especially as sustainable housing solutions will depend on public/private partnerships. That is why we are working to share information with Airbnb to help safeguard renters, as part of Airbnb’s COVID-19 Renter Protection Policy, which will be active through the end of the year.

As of June 15, upon receipt of eviction records from participating cities, Airbnb will remove any new listings where the tenant has been evicted due to nonpayment of rent, and where the tenant had been protected by the CDC moratorium. To support this initiative, City staff will regularly monitor records of residential evictions within the City and share those with Airbnb. 

The City hopes that awareness of Airbnb’s initiative will discourage rental property owners from evicting renters who are behind on payments in order to advertise those properties as short-term rentals.

Airbnb press here

Rental resources
Here are some additional resources for Asheville residents who need support to avoid eviction:

For Buncombe County rental assistance, please click here
For rental assistance funding available from the state, please click here