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Airbnb-Friendly Apartments: a Guide for Hosts
Find out how this program works and how you can earn extra income from hosting part-time with minimal effort.
In November 2022, in partnership with some of the largest real estate companies in the US, Airbnb launched a program called Airbnb-friendly apartments (AFA) to make it easier for renters to find a place to live where they can host on Airbnb part-time. Now, Airbnb operates a dedicated marketplace where renters can search for apartment buildings that allow part-time Airbnb hosting.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at this Airbnb program and provide you with tips on how to earn extra income with an Airbnb-friendly apartment with minimal effort.
What Is the Airbnb-Friendly Apartments Program?
Airbnb-friendly apartments is a marketplace for renters to help them find apartments where they can sign a 12-month lease and host their primary residence part-time on Airbnb. This program is a part of the company’s broader efforts to make Airbnb hosting more accessible to more people.
Generally, rental apartment buildings don’t allow tenants to list on short-term rental platforms. That’s why, in 2022, Airbnb partnered with rental companies of all sizes across the US to help renters find apartment buildings that allow part-time hosting within clearly defined limits. Since then, the program has grown from roughly 175 buildings in 25+ markets across the US to over 1,300 buildings across 75+ markets, with expansion into Brazil and the UK.
According to Airbnb, from November 2024 to November 2025, the typical part-time apartment host in the Airbnb-friendly program earned about $3,900 across 34 nights of hosting—it’s roughly 2.5 months of rent for the average US renter. In the same time frame, around 2,200 renters have earned supplemental income—nearly $13 million in total—from this part-time hosting activity.
Airbnb-friendly apartments give you more freedom in how you live and the flexibility to host on your terms and earn extra income. Still, hosting is a commitment, and it takes time and effort. Hence, it makes sense to automate routine tasks using Airbnb management software like Hospitable. Our STR super app offers a comprehensive set of features and AI-powered tools to let you run your Airbnb on autopilot.
Airbnb-Friendly Apartments: How Does the Program Work?
Airbnb’s marketplace gathers participating buildings in one place, making it easier for renters to identify buildings that officially allow hosting and for them to become Airbnb hosts without owning a property. Prospective renters who want to host part-time can visit the marketplace webpage to explore Airbnb-friendly apartments in their area or another city.
You can explore a variety of Airbnb-friendly buildings in different locations. You can browse available apartments, view their floor plans, checklists of amenities and features each building offers, and information about the surrounding area. You’ll also find information about how many nights per year you’re allowed to host.
You can also use an interactive Earnings calculator to get an estimate of how much money you could earn by hosting part-time. You can select the number of nights you plan to host to get an estimate of your potential monthly earnings.
If you find a potential apartment, you can contact the building management for more information—Airbnb will show you the contact details. You can ask the building management specific questions and schedule in-person tours.
After becoming a resident in an Airbnb-friendly apartment, you can list your place on Airbnb and host guests the way that works for you. You have full control of how you use your space. For example, you can rent out the whole apartment when you go for a trip. And if you want to earn extra income without leaving home, you can rent out a room.
But keep in mind that you must follow the hosting rules set by your building, including a limit on the number of nights renters can host per year. All renters are also expected to follow local short-term rental rules and restrictions, building rules, and Airbnb’s community standards.
Airbnb-Friendly Apartments: Things to Consider
If you are thinking about living in an Airbnb-friendly apartment, here are some things you need to consider:
Building rules. Buildings can have rules that apply to anyone living or staying in the community, such as quiet hours and pet policies. Buildings generally have rules and restrictions for hosts that can limit how much and when you can host, including limits on the number of nights you can host, maximum or minimum lengths of stay for guests, periods when hosting is not allowed, etc. So, before you sign a lease, make sure the rules for hosting work are acceptable to you.
Additional lease terms. Buildings may also require residents in Airbnb-friendly apartments to sign lease addenda that outline terms of hosting on Airbnb or may include terms related to the ability to host in your lease. So, make sure you understand any limitations on hosting that are included in your lease or related agreements before you sign these legally binding documents.
Building cut. Building management can take a share of the booking revenue generated by residents. Each building decides whether to take a revenue share and, if so, how much. So, make sure you understand your building’s policies.
Local laws. STR regulations may also impact your ability to host. Some cities may require you to get a business license or special permit. Each jurisdiction is different, so you’ll need to check with your local government to understand the laws that may apply to you and ensure compliance.
How to Earn Extra Income with Minimal Effort
Hosting on Airbnb can be a rewarding experience, but it takes time and effort and involves many responsibilities. It can often feel overwhelming, especially if you have a busy schedule and have to balance hosting with a full-time job. Still, with the right short-term property management rental software, hosting is easier than you might think.
For example, Hospitable features AI-powered automation tools that can save you many hours each week, allowing you to manage your rental stress-free and enjoy the benefits of living in an Airbnb-friendly apartment. Hospitable can help you streamline time-consuming day-to-day tasks and ensure a seamless guest experience, keeping things organized and efficient.
Hospitable automates guest messaging and ensures seamless communication with your guests at every key touchpoint throughout their journey, from the first inquiry to the final review.
You can set up scheduled messages using your templates to create an automated messaging flow and provide your guests with important information at the right time.
You can use AI tools to quickly draft detailed, personalized responses to tricky guest questions and correct what you’ve written when you message your guest manually.
You can upload your guidebook to educate our AI about your property and policies, and it will use this info to generate more accurate responses to guests’ messages.
You can even enable AI Auto Replies and set up times when our AI can automatically reply to guests' inquiries without your review.
Hospitable will help you coordinate cleanings between stays to keep your space guest-ready. Just create task rules, add a checklist, and our system will automatically assign tasks to your cleaners based on your booking calendar. We’ll send them reminders about upcoming jobs via email or SMS. You can also use our Cleaner Marketplace to find, manage, and pay trusted local cleaners—all in one place.
Hospitable can help you price your Airbnb rental correctly. If you enable our built-in Dynamic Pricing feature, our proprietary pricing engine will automatically adjust your nightly rates based on the real-time market conditions to maximize revenue and occupancy.
Hospitable offers tools to help you take measures to minimize the risk of dealing with troublesome guests and protect your rental from damage. You can set up an automated security deposit, and Hospitable will collect and release it automatically, ensuring a smooth experience for you and your Airbnb guests.
You can create a templated Airbnb rental agreement, and our system will populate it with guest and booking data for each unique reservation and automatically send it to your guests for signature. You can also request ad hoc verification for any guest who booked your Airbnb.
Hospitable can help you handle tedious daily tasks and reduce your workload. With Hospitable, you can automate almost every aspect of hosting on Airbnb and earn extra income with minimal effort.
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Common questions
What is an Airbnb-friendly apartment?
An Airbnb-friendly apartment is a rental unit where the landlord or property management explicitly allows tenants to list the apartment on Airbnb or other short-term rental platforms. Unlike standard leases that prohibit subletting, Airbnb-friendly apartments come with clear terms that permit hosting, often with specific rules, limits, or revenue-sharing agreements. This allows renters to legally earn income from short-term rentals without violating their lease.
What rules do Airbnb-friendly apartments usually have?
Airbnb-friendly apartments typically come with structured rules to protect the property and other residents. Common rules include limits on the number of nights you can host per year, restrictions on guest behavior, and requirements to follow building policies such as quiet hours and security procedures. Some landlords may also require approval before listing, enforce minimum stay lengths, or take a percentage of the rental income. These rules are designed to balance earning potential with maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for all tenants.
How much can you earn from an Airbnb-friendly apartment?
Earnings from an Airbnb-friendly apartment vary widely depending on location, demand, pricing strategy, and occupancy rate. In high-demand areas, hosts may generate significant monthly income, while in slower markets earnings can be more modest. Your actual profit depends on factors like rent, platform fees, cleaning costs, and any revenue share with the landlord. To estimate earnings accurately, hosts should analyze local market data and aim to balance occupancy and pricing for maximum revenue.
How to automate hosting an Airbnb-friendly apartment?
Automating an Airbnb-friendly apartment involves using software to handle repetitive tasks like guest communication, scheduling, and operations. Instead of manually responding to every inquiry or sending check-in instructions, automation ensures guests receive timely and consistent information. With tools like Hospitable, you can automate messaging, manage bookings, coordinate cleaning tasks, and centralize operations in one place. This makes it easier to run your rental efficiently, especially if you’re hosting frequently or managing multiple listings. Automation helps reduce workload, improve response times, and create a smoother guest experience without requiring constant manual involvement.