Airbnb updates its website to help renters find and contact apartment buildings

Prospective renters can search for Airbnb-friendly apartment buildings with policies that allow for part-time hosting.

Airbnb now has a dedicated page to help potential renters find and contact over 175 apartment buildings in more than 25 markets across the country, including Houston, Texas. Airbnb said that Phoenix, Ariz. and Jacksonville, Fla. The company expects to add more cities in the coming months.

The renters can see details about each apartment with the latest update, including how much it will cost and the floor plan. They can also get an estimate of how much money they could earn by hosting.

The apartments will still be a renter's primary residence. Airbnb has its own community rules for hosting, and each building will have its own community rules for hosting, which renters are expected to follow, according to Airbnb's community standards.

The update will allow more renters to tap into the economic benefits of home sharing, according to Airbnb. According to a survey by Airbnb, 41% of hosts said they are using their rental income to cover higher living costs due to inflation.

Renters who have already rented within Airbnb-friendly apartment buildings reported being able to host an average of nine nights per month. They have earned an average of $900 per month, according to Airbnb.

Airbnb said that cities can help renters better afford where they live by supporting Airbnb-friendly apartments and embracing policies that allow renters to share their space.

The move marks the company's latest effort to remove barriers that may keep people from signing up to host.

During an interview with FOX Business earlier this month, Airbnb co-founder Nate Blecharczyk said there are around 4 million hosts on the platform, but they have seen more than 60 million people come to the hosting page.

In order to help, the platform tripled its insurance coverage and began offering free one-to-one guidance for new hosts through a new system called Airbnb Setup.

There were complaints from customers about hidden fees when booking with Airbnb. It also improved the checkout process for guests.