Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia's First Doge Assignment

Gebbia Clarifies Role in Government Efficiency Initiative

Following reports in The New York Times regarding Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, joining Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” Gebbia has now detailed his initial focus. He announced via X that he will be applying his design expertise to modernize the government’s retirement procedures, which are currently known for being slow and reliant on paper-based processes.

Current System Challenges

The existing system demonstrably requires improvement. Chuck Ezell, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shared in a recently released video – subsequently republished by Gebbia – that the agency was given a challenge just one week prior. This challenge involved processing a retiree’s paperwork entirely digitally, eliminating the need for any printed materials.

An OPM employee featured in the same video indicated that the process has already been reduced to a timeframe of two days.

Modernization Efforts and Past Issues

While the scalability and sustainability of this accelerated process remain uncertain, the OPM has faced ongoing pressure to update its systems. Last summer, a pilot program was initiated for a new online retirement application platform. This response was prompted by persistent concerns regarding delays in benefit processing.

These concerns gained prominence in 2023 when multiple lawmakers publicly urged the OPM to address the sluggish processing times, with some retirees experiencing waits exceeding 90 days to receive their deserved benefits.

Gebbia’s Background and Other Ventures

Gebbia, having amassed significant wealth through his Airbnb holdings, continues to serve on the board of the short-term rental company. Furthermore, he has been a board member at Tesla since September 2022.

In a post on X, Gebbia stated: “Having transitioned from an operational role at Airbnb in 2022, I have been seeking a new digital design challenge. Few opportunities are more significant than volunteering to enhance the user experience within our government.”

Samara and Charitable Contributions

Beyond Airbnb, Gebbia is also the co-founder of Samara, a company spun out of Airbnb. Samara specializes in building pre-fabricated homes, allowing customers to customize features like layouts, colors, windows, doors, and decks, while Samara manages the permitting process.

Recently, Samara announced a $15 million donation of these dwellings to support Los Angeles residents who lost their homes in the January fires, which resulted in approximately $30 billion in real estate losses.

Host Reactions and Airbnb’s Response

The revelation of Gebbia’s involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has prompted reactions from some Airbnb hosts. Several hosts have expressed their dismay on the platform, with some even removing their listings, as reported by the San Francisco Standard.

One long-term Airbnb host explained to the Standard: “Given the impact that DOGE has had on our community and economy in the D.C. area, I no longer feel I can host on Airbnb in good conscience.”

Airbnb responded with a statement emphasizing that Gebbia has not been involved in the company’s day-to-day operations since 2022. A spokesperson added: “Airbnb represents more than the perspective of any single individual. Our community comprises millions of hosts and hundreds of millions of guests from diverse backgrounds.”