A leading charity working with homeless people has defended its decision to rent out two ‘pods’ it has created with beds and showers on AirBnb and charge people up to £220 a night.
Emmaus, which runs charity shops around Bristol and is one of the city’s leading homelessness charities, has recently opened the pods as part of a bigger development to create new homes on the roof of its headquarters in St Pauls.
This month, the charity began advertising the two pods, which include a double bed, shower room but no kitchen or much storage space, on AirBnB, but came in for criticism on social media.
The two pods, which the charity has christened Carmen and Delores, are built on stilts above the charity’s warehouse yard, in a spot it says is a prime one close to Lakota nightclub and Stokes Croft.
Prices for a minimum two-night stay are £264 for a weekend in December, and in May that rises to £443 for two nights.
The ‘sleep pods’ are advertised as a ‘remarkable little spot to rest your head after enjoying the delights of Bristol, with the bars, cafes and eateries of Stokes Croft on your doorstep’. “Our Eco Sleep Pods are made using straw fibre insulation and built on a timber frame surrounding our lovely silver birch tree,” the listing on AirBnB said. “The space (is) a hotel room on stilts, you'll have a spacious balcony with your own front door, studio bedroom and private shower room.”
“Once inside, you'll find the room is well insulated from the elements. There's a chiller and tea and coffee making facilities as well as a smart TV and WiFi. We've used reclaimed scaffolding boards to make some handy shelving for your gadgets and other bits and bobs too,” they added.
The pods are small, however, and more of the listing hints at why Emmaus says they are only suitable for AirBnB. “This is an Eco Sleep Pod, so you won't find a wardrobe, luggage rack or air con, instead, you'll find a small cupboard for storage, a slimline heater for cosy winter visits and we've upcycled donated items to make coat hooks for your wall,” they added.
The charity came in for criticism on social media for advertising the two pods on AirBnB.
Michael Rogers tweeted a reply to Emmaus. “Do you think homelessness could be anything to do with properties being built to generate income, not to actually house people in permanent homes? Why not build these facilities to house the homeless?” he asked.
Another Twitter user, Georgina, replied: “Are you kidding? AirBnB is one of the leading causes of gentrification and rent increases in urban areas - which leads directly to homelessness! Have you considered that you could’ve just let homeless people live here instead? Disgraceful,” she added.
While AirBnBs have been blamed for rapidly increasing the housing crisis in many tourist areas like Cornwall and Devon, Bristol also has well over one thousand homes listed on the AirBnB which, rather than being rented to people to live permanently are instead being used as holiday or very short-term lets.
The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has spoken about the ‘wicked challenges’ caused by the growing number of AirBnB properties in Bristol, especially in certain areas where rent prices are already spiralling.
But Emmaus defended its decision to rent out these pods, saying they were too small for someone to live in permanently, and they raised money for the charity’s work to tackle homelessness.
Back in 2020, the charity got planning permission to build 15 ‘eco-homes’ on the roof of its office building at Backfields House, to create what it described as a new ‘rooftop community’. Around half of those new homes were set to be ‘affordable’.
“The main motivation behind the initiative is to provide affordable homes for people who are ready to move out of our supported housing,” the chief executive Jessica Hodge said at the time. “We offer more than just a bed for the night. When someone joins our Emmaus Bristol community, they work full-time in our shops to gain new skills and build up their CV, and receive daily support, mentoring and training so they can rebuild their life. There is no time limit on the support we provide, and people can stay with us for as long as they need, whether that is a few months or years,” she added.
The two ‘sleep pods’ are a separate smaller development, on stilts above the back yard entrance of the Backfields House site, and Emmaus said they would not be suitable for someone to live in permanently. And what's more - creating the spaces for AirBnB use means people who book them won't be staying in an AirBnB that is depriving someone of a proper living space.
“The Pods are an addition to our multi-enterprise site,” a spokesperson said. “They’ll be used to provide long term ££ support for residents. They don’t take from housing stock & are too small for living so provide a holiday option that isn’t a potential home,” they added.
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