Airbnb has pledged $250 million (£190 million) in below-market financing to help restart stalled housing projects, with its first $6.4 million investment going toward an affordable housing development in Austin, Texas. The short-term rental company announced the Airbnb Housing Accelerator, a new program aimed at addressing the U.S. housing shortage by filling funding gaps for construction projects that are ready to begin. According to an official announcement published in the Airbnb Newsroom, the first funding commitment could help unlock more than $5 billion in wider real estate investment over the next decade by providing the final money needed to start construction. Research commissioned by Airbnb estimates that about 750,000 multi-family housing units across the United States have already received planning approval and cleared other regulatory requirements but are still waiting for final construction funding. High interest rates and rising construction costs have made it harder for developers to get traditional commercial loans to cover the final part of their budgets.
Capital commitment in Austin
The program’s first $6.4 million investment will help build 201 affordable homes in Austin’s St. John neighbourhood. The project is part of a larger public-private development on a 20-acre former commercial site. Once completed, the site is expected to include more than 500 housing units, public parks, retail space and community art installations.In an official statement announcing the program, Airbnb said it wants to provide patient, lower-cost funding that can help stalled projects move forward. “The ability to afford housing is part of the foundation of Airbnb,” the company said in its launch announcement. “The company was launched because we couldn’t afford our rent—and today, that reality exists for millions of Americans. The housing crisis wasn’t created overnight, and it won’t be solved overnight. But we can start moving in the right direction, and that is exactly what the Airbnb Housing Accelerator is designed to do.”Texas officials welcomed the private investment. In a statement published by Airbnb, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said new forms of funding are needed to help the city meet its growing housing demand. “Austin leads the national conversation and the actual outcomes on housing because we’re doing what it takes to build,” Watson said. “I’m glad to see Airbnb investing in housing projects like St. John’s. Expanding housing takes all of us.”
Financing model and project criteria
The Housing Accelerator will provide what Airbnb calls “last-dollar financing.” According to details reported by The Wall Street Journal, the company will accept returns that are well below normal market rates. The program will focus on projects that include affordable and mixed-income housing. Under the program, individual investments will generally cover about 10% of a project’s total capital needs. The money is designed to encourage traditional lenders and institutional investors to provide the remaining 90% needed to fully finance the developments. As loans are repaid, the money will be invested in new projects. This means the initial $250 million fund could support several rounds of housing construction over time. Homes built with support from the fund will also have long-term occupancy requirements. Affordable units financed through the program will not be allowed to be listed as short-term vacation rentals on Airbnb or other platforms.
Policy research and technology prizes
The initiative will also include policy and technology efforts in addition to direct housing investments. According to Airbnb’s official announcement, the company is creating a $5 million Housing Innovation Prize. The program will provide five $1 million grants to companies or nonprofit organizations working on new homebuilding technologies, off-site modular construction and software designed to make the permitting process faster and easier. Airbnb also plans to release an open-source global housing dataset later this year. The dataset is expected to track local housing regulations, planning approval times and housing construction rates per person across major cities.In statements released with the program’s launch, representatives from the Florida Housing Coalition said that both funding and policy changes are needed to address the long-term shortage of housing. “At the Florida Housing Coalition, we have always believed that partnerships are what unlock many resources for Florida’s housing needs, and that affordable housing is the foundation of stronger communities and a stronger economy,” the coalition said in materials released by Airbnb. “This support helps us reach more communities and help more of them say yes to housing, and we’re looking forward to what this partnership will make possible.” Developers and community housing organizations with approved multi-family projects that need final funding can apply for investment through the Airbnb Housing Accelerator portal.
