Airbnb preparing Houston hosts for hectic Final Four weekend

Airbnb, HPD offer safety, prevention tips ahead of Final Four weekend in Houston

FOX 26 Reporter Gabby Hart was at the meeting and spoke with officials about what they're doing to try and increase safety awareness.

HOUSTON - The Final Four is headed to Houston, meaning an influx of people will be renting out Airbnb's in our communities, and while it will mean big bucks for local hosts, it also means they need to pay extra close attention.

"Our main concern is that they're not coming to party and trash your property," said local Airbnb super host Micca Dave.

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On Wednesday evening, Airbnb hosted a forum to address these concerns, more than 100 hosts signed up to attend. The Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff's Office were also in attendance.

Aside from preventing parties and property damage, there were other topics top of mind; Airbnb also discussed what to look out for when it comes to human trafficking during major events like the Final Four.

"As soon as I saw the sex trafficking thing, I thought the more information I know about this the better," said local host Sophie Simons.

Ben Breit, Director of Airbnb's Trust and Safety Department, says they brought in professionals to help talk about the signs.

"If there's a woman who appears to be there against her will, if there's bruising things, along those lines," he explained.

Breit tells FOX 26 one of their main goals is making sure their hosts feel supported during such a hectic time.

"The people coming to Houston in about a week may not know it yet, right? Their fans of the teams, and teams haven't been determined yet; so this weekend will bring a flurry of bookings," said Breit.

Airbnb hosts want the community to know that they do their best to make sure the neighbors surrounding their vacation rentals also feel that same support.

"Airbnb sometimes gets bad flack. But it's not bad, it's a good company that's here to support the community," said Micca Dave.

When the Final Four was in New Orleans back in 2022, local hosts collected over $4 million in total.

If you'd like more information on how you can become a host, click here.