by Sidnee Michelle
July 10, 2026
The itemizing described the situation as a “peaceable white neighborhood.”
A Georgia girl is suing Airbnb, an Atlanta property proprietor, and two folks recognized as a number and co-host, alleging she was denied the chance to hire a house as a result of she is Black after revealing info that recognized her race through the reserving course of, WSBTV Atlanta studies.
The lawsuit stems from an tried reservation in 2024 for a property on Manhasset Drive in Dunwoody. In response to the criticism, Sharonda Stewart was trying to find non permanent housing in metro Atlanta after relocating when Airbnb prompted her to introduce herself to the property’s host earlier than her reservation may very well be authorised.
Stewart mentioned she described herself as a businesswoman, defined the aim of her keep, and included the identify of her firm, whose emblem depicts a Black girl. She alleges that the host by no means responded to her reserving request or to her subsequent follow-up message, thereby permitting the reservation window to run out.
Afterward, Stewart mentioned she returned to the itemizing and seen language describing the encompassing space as a “peaceable white neighborhood.” In response to the lawsuit, that description, mixed with the unanswered reserving request, led Stewart to consider she had been denied lodging due to her race.
Civil rights lawyer Bataski Bailey, who represents Stewart, mentioned the itemizing raises issues about illegal discrimination.
“You possibly can’t describe one thing as peaceable and white after which act in a manner that signifies you propose to maintain it that manner,” Bailey mentioned.
Airbnb mentioned it has since eliminated the host from its platform. “Discrimination has no place on Airbnb, and we eliminated the host from the platform,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement supplied to the outlet.
The lawsuit additionally alleges Airbnb did not promptly take away the itemizing after Stewart’s authorized staff notified the corporate. Bailey mentioned attorneys despatched a requirement letter requesting an investigation, however the commercial allegedly remained on-line for months afterward.
An individual who answered a cellphone quantity related to property proprietor George Shihfang denied data of the allegations and informed WSB-TV the property had by no means been listed on Airbnb.
Bailey mentioned his authorized staff plans to hunt subpoenas to establish everybody answerable for creating and managing the itemizing, which allegedly used pseudonyms, and intends to pursue the case earlier than a jury. Stewart mentioned she hopes the lawsuit will assist stop related incidents from occurring to different vacationers.
RELATED CONTENT: Airbnb Visitor Airs Firm Out After Superhost Used Faux AI Images To Declare $16K In Damages
