Atlanta Woman Sues Airbnb, After Alleged Denial To Rent In ‘Peaceful White Neighborhood’

The listing described the location as a "peaceful white neighborhood."

A Georgia woman is suing Airbnb, an Atlanta property owner, and two people identified as a host and co-host, alleging she was denied the opportunity to rent a home because she is Black after revealing information that identified her race during the booking process, WSBTV Atlanta reports.

The lawsuit stems from an attempted reservation in 2024 for a property on Manhasset Drive in Dunwoody. According to the complaint, Sharonda Stewart was searching for temporary housing in metro Atlanta after relocating when Airbnb prompted her to introduce herself to the property’s host before her reservation could be approved.

Stewart said she described herself as a businesswoman, explained the purpose of her stay, and included the name of her company, whose logo depicts a Black woman. She alleges that the host never responded to her booking request or to her subsequent follow-up message, thereby allowing the reservation window to expire.

Afterward, Stewart said she returned to the listing and noticed language describing the surrounding area as a “peaceful white neighborhood.” According to the lawsuit, that description, combined with the unanswered booking request, led Stewart to believe she had been denied lodging because of her race.

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Civil rights attorney Bataski Bailey, who represents Stewart, said the listing raises concerns about unlawful discrimination.

“You can’t describe something as peaceful and white and then act in a way that signifies you intend to keep it that way,” Bailey said.

Airbnb said it has since removed the host from its platform. “Discrimination has no place on Airbnb, and we removed the host from the platform,” the company said in a statement provided to the outlet.

The lawsuit also alleges Airbnb failed to promptly remove the listing after Stewart’s legal team notified the company. Bailey said attorneys sent a demand letter requesting an investigation, but the advertisement allegedly remained online for months afterward.

A person who answered a phone number associated with property owner George Shihfang denied knowledge of the allegations and told WSB-TV the property had never been listed on Airbnb.

Bailey said his legal team plans to seek subpoenas to identify everyone responsible for creating and managing the listing, which allegedly used pseudonyms, and intends to pursue the case before a jury. Stewart said she hopes the lawsuit will help prevent similar incidents from happening to other travelers.