Airbnb.org to Provide Housing During Disasters in Mexico City

SGIRPC and Airbnb.org have established a three-year strategic partnership to integrate residential units into Mexico City’s emergency housing infrastructure for disaster response. The initiative formalizes public-private coordination to enhance urban resilience, directly impacting risk management protocols and operational capacity for stakeholders across the technology, real estate, and public safety sectors.


The Mexico City Ministry of Integrated Risk Management and Civil Protection (SGIRPC) and Airbnb.org signed a collaboration agreement on Feb. 12, 2026. This agreement establishes a framework to provide free temporary housing to SGIRPC brigadiers, registered volunteer groups, and affected populations during emergencies across the entity. The agreement is set for an initial term of three years, with the possibility of renewal or modification based on the evolving needs of the city's civil protection strategy.

The formal alliance builds upon previous joint efforts. In October 2025, Airbnb.org provided no-cost accommodation to SGIRPC personnel deployed to assist families during floods and landslides in Veracruz. With this signing, the organizations formalize a protocol for immediate housing access during future crises.

Mexico City’s Minister of Risk Management and Civil Protection, Myriam Urzúa, stated that the alliance is intended to ensure safe conditions for brigadiers when they are deployed to support communities nationwide. “Timely and effective emergency response depends largely on the well-being of those on the front lines. This alliance with Airbnb.org allows us to guarantee dignified and safe conditions for our brigadiers when they are deployed to support affected communities anywhere in the country,” Urzúa stressed.

Luis Felipe Sánchez, a Civil Protection brigadier, noted that the housing support during the 2025 Veracruz floods allowed the team to maintain the physical and emotional capacity required for recovery efforts. “We hope to continue strengthening this valuable collaboration, as we never know when or where we will be called to serve again, whether here in Mexico City or in any part of the country,” he said.

Christoph Gorder, Executive Director, Airbnb.org, emphasized that the agreement enables the organization, a separate entity from the short rentals platform Airbnb, to act quickly by collaborating directly with Civil Protection authorities. Airbnb.org utilizes the Airbnb platform to connect those in need of emergency stay with hosts willing to share their homes, with all stays funded by the non-profit organization. “Last year, during the wildfires in Los Angeles, we were able to provide free housing to 24,000 vulnerable people. At the same time, we responded to 78 different disasters globally across 16 countries,” Gorder stated.

While Airbnb remains the primary donor, Gorder revealed that nearly 1,000 hosts in Mexico currently provide solidarity contributions of 1% to 2% of their monthly earnings to the organization. 

The scale of this logistical potential is significant in the capital, which currently has an inventory of approximately 26,500 active Airbnb units. Unlike traditional hotel infrastructure, which is often centralized in commercial and touristic districts, these listings are dispersed across residential neighborhoods.

Since its founding in 2020, Airbnb.org has facilitated 1.6 million nights of free temporary housing for more than 250,000 people across nearly 140 countries. In Mexico, this partnership aims to improve community resilience by ensuring that frontline personnel and residents have access to reliable housing options immediately following a disaster. Gorder noted that Airbnb waives all standard administrative fees for these stays, and hosts, who are explicitly notified that these are emergency, rather than vacation bookings, frequently offer additional discounts to ensure relief funds cover more affected individuals.

By working together, SGIRPC and Airbnb.org aim to expand the logistics of disaster relief, ensuring that both rescue teams and affected citizens can find accommodation close to impacted zones during critical moments. “Civil Protection has been fundamental in disaster response throughout Mexico. This agreement empowers us to act quickly and collaborate directly with Civil Protection, facilitating support for local communities when they need it most,” Gorder added.

Technology Drives Risk Management to the Next Level 

The collaboration between SGIRPC and Airbnb.org responds to a context of high regional risk. According to the World Risk Report from Ruhr University Bochum, Mexico is the most vulnerable country in Latin America to natural disasters. As for Mexico City, its vulnerability is primarily dictated by its geological and geographical characteristics. The city’s location over a former lakebed significantly amplifies seismic waves during earthquakes, a factor that historically contributes to structural damage across the metropolitan area. Beyond seismic activity, the region faces constant hydrometeorological threats, including heavy rainfall that frequently leads to urban flooding and the formation of sinkholes due to the city's ongoing soil subsidence.

Elton Borgonovo, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Motorola Solutions, notes that artificial intelligence (AI) has become a strategic tool to address these challenges through predictive modeling and real-time response.

AI applications include machine learning algorithms that analyze historical and seismic data to anticipate extreme events, alongside drones equipped with computer vision to assess damage in inaccessible areas. Borgonovo highlights that partnerships between companies like Motorola Solutions and Nokia have resulted in automated drones that provide data to response teams, allowing for faster decision-making. These technologies also optimize the distribution of humanitarian aid by calculating the most efficient transportation routes and shelter capacities during a crisis.