US Sues Airbnb After Host Rejected Rental to Mom With Kids

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US Sues Airbnb After Host Rejected Rental to Mom With Kids

Airbnb was sued by the U.S. authorities on Friday over a number’s refusal to hire an house to a mom with three school-age kids.

In a criticism filed in San Francisco federal court docket, the Division of Justice stated the house rental firm violated the Honest Housing Act by means of Jarrod Blake’s rejection of a rental for Charisse Ylitalo and her sons, aged 9, 11 and 14.

The criticism stated Airbnb lets hosts designate property as unsuitable for kids aged 2 to 12, or infants underneath age 2. Airbnb didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Ylitalo had sought a three-month rental in late 2020 in Huntsville, Alabama, the place she and her husband Christopher had simply bought their house, to attenuate disruptions for his or her kids earlier than shifting to Hawaii, the place Christopher had taken a brand new job.

Blake allegedly informed Ylitalo “this house isn’t appropriate for youths,” prompting her to object.

“My children are 14, 9 & 11,” she stated. “I’d perceive in the event that they have been little however all they do is play video video games. You do know that it’s unlawful to discriminate towards folks with kids.”

The criticism stated Airbnb later informed Ylitalo that hosts needn’t settle for kids, and “it could be finest” if she discovered one other rental.

Ylitalo and her sons ended up an hour’s drive from Huntsville, inflicting disruptions and isolation that led her husband to return to his previous job, which paid hundreds of {dollars} lower than the Hawaii job, the criticism stated.

Airbnb’s web site says the San Francisco-based firm prohibits hosts from discriminating based mostly on “familial standing (having kids).”

Blake, a resident of Santa Monica, California, couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction requiring Airbnb to take steps to thwart additional discrimination.

The case is US v Airbnb Inc et al, U.S. District Court docket, Northern District of California, No. 25-00348.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New YorkEditing by Matthew Lewis)

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