Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia has resigned as chairman of Airbnb.org, the company's nonprofit arm that provides temporary housing for refugees and disaster victims. During his tenure, the organization provided over 1.4 million nights of free housing to people in need.
His resignation, announced on April 4, 2025, follows controversy surrounding his recent political activity, which seemed to conflict with the nonprofit’s humanitarian mission. Airbnb publicly distanced itself from his views, clarifying they did not reflect those of the company or Airbnb.org.
Since stepping back from daily operations at Airbnb in 2022, Gebbia has pursued a wide range of ventures. Notably, he holds a board seat at Tesla, is a minority owner of the San Antonio Spurs, continues to work with Samara—a company focused on ADUs and home design, and took on a role with DOGE earlier this year. While he remains on Airbnb’s board and retains the title of co-founder, his exit from Airbnb.org marks the end of his direct involvement in the company’s philanthropic efforts.
Still, Gebbia’s legacy at Airbnb.org remains significant. He helped turn a scrappy emergency relief idea into a globally recognized humanitarian initiative.
For Airbnb hosts and users, his departure has no effect on the platform’s functionality or user experience.
