Airbnb, Inc.

The U.S. Department of Justice is pursuing an ongoing Fair Housing Act case against Airbnb, Inc. concerning alleged discrimination against families with children. The case originated from a complaint submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after an Airbnb host allegedly refused to rent an apartment to a family because they had children. According to the Justice Department complaint, the prospective renter requested an apartment for herself and her children. The host allegedly responded that the apartment was not suitable for children and declined the reservation request. The renter subsequently contacted Airbnb Support and reported that she believed she had been discriminated against because she had children. HUD investigated the complaint, attempted conciliation and prepared a final investigative report. According to the Justice Department, HUD determined that reasonable cause existed to believe that the defendants had violated the Fair Housing Act and issued a Charge of Discrimination in September 2024. The United States filed its original federal lawsuit in January 2025. The property-owner defendants subsequently entered a settlement agreement with the United States in June 2025. That settlement did not resolve the government's claims against Airbnb. Litigation against Airbnb continued. In March 2026, the Justice Department filed an amended complaint expanding its allegations concerning Airbnb itself. The amended complaint alleges that Airbnb's conduct, including allowing hosts to designate properties as not suitable for children or infants, constitutes a pattern or practice of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. The Justice Department's public case page states that litigation against Airbnb, Inc. remains ongoing. Accordingly, this Rotten Company evidence record is marked unresolved. The allegations against Airbnb have not yet resulted in a final adjudication of liability and should therefore be described as government allegations rather than established findings. Primary sources: U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division — United States v. Airbnb: https://www.justice.gov/crt/case/united-states-v-airbnb-nd-cal DOJ Amended Complaint: https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1431221/dl