As the global community continues to come together, helpers in the novel coronavirus pandemic shine a light in the darkness. Kopa for Good is one such shining star.
Furnished monthly rental platform Kopa teamed up with more than 30 property management companies pledging to fight the spread of COVID-19 to form Kopa for Good, a program to provide clean and discounted accommodations for medical professionals, university students, quarantined patients, and others displaced by the pandemic – an effective model of high-level rapid response mobilization in times of crisis.
CEO and co-founder of Kopa, Jack Forbes, said the endeavor began in mid-March as a joint effort between his platform and San Francisco property management company Astro. Kopa for Good grew almost overnight to include dozens of different rental companies coming together to offer clean spaces and reasonable cancellation policies. Kopa for Good’s tagline? “Discounted Rent. Flexible Policies. Sparkling Clean.”
Kopa for Good allows renters to focus on work, feel comfortable at home and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Putting Competition Aside for the Greater Good
“[Medical professionals] are not folks who typically need medium-term rentals, but they suddenly do. They’re being called into cities. So we thought, ‘Why not bring together some of the biggest furnished rental companies in America?’” Jack said.
Kopa for Good came together quickly. Once Silicon Valley’s Kopa and Astro teamed up, they launched the campaign online within seven days.
Jack added, “It’s about what the Mayor of Chicago [Lori Lightfoot] said: ‘If we do things right, we’re going to sit home and say nothing happened. If we can say nothing happened, then we did our job.’”
It’s an example of the positivity showing up worldwide to counteract COVID-19 fears. Jack described the banding together of companies from Seattle, San Fransisco, Dallas, Philadelphia and New York as exciting. Property management companies pulling together isn’t the norm, he said, but Kopa is aiming to list 10,000 furnished properties on the site by April 1.
“Property managers have to pay their mortgages. We want to help.”
Individual hosts can sign up too, and Kopa for Good made it as easy as possible to join in less than 10 minutes.
Kopa and the management companies teaming up with Kopa for Good removed or discounted their own service fees. “Kopa’s not making a dime,” Jack explained. “And other large [businesses] involved are also making less profit. They’re just trying to keep their company alive.”
Owners offering their properties on the site agreed to discount their nightly rental rate between 20 and 40%.
To ensure cleanliness, Kopa for Good set requirements for owners, adding badges and filters to listing searches. To receive the badge, owners and managers must first confirm their property meets outlined expectations. This includes requiring professional cleaning services with extra deep cleaning and offering COVID-specific sanitization training where possible.
The Need for Flexible Rentals
Kopa for Good is an extension of Kopa, an online site connecting medium-term rental seekers to housing and housemates for one month or more. Jack founded Kopa in 2016 alongside friends Courtney Sabo and Zach Waterfield. “It was a classic case of having a problem we couldn’t find the solution for, so we solved the problem ourselves.”
Between the three of them, Jack, Courtney and Zach lived in 50 different homes over a short span of time. “Involvement in work-integrated learning programs in the U.S. and Canada means we have to move a lot. Once we found full-time jobs, we were still moving.”
Seeking answers to questions such as, ‘Where do I live in this city?’ or ‘What neighborhoods are best?’ proved to be difficult, Jack said. “Airbnb had vacations down. Apartments.com and Zillow listed longer, unfurnished spaces. No one was covering medium-term stays. Or connecting roommates. We saw a gap.”
Kopa’s mission is to, “Inspire renters to connect, explore and live fully.” Jack, Courtney, Zach and their partners created a space for COVID-impacted home seekers to do the same, via Kopa for Good.
There are already numerous success stories. Students from Stanford and San Francisco forced out of campus housing following the COVID-19 outbreak relocated to safe, affordable spaces almost immediately—thanks to Kopa for Good.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, Jack said Kopa for Good affiliates hope to keep the platform rolling. “It’s fundamental to what we’re about. I’m sure any CEO would tell you the same thing, but we’re genuinely trying to solve a problem.”
Know of other people and programs stepping up to help others through the coronavirus crisis? Let Rent Responsibly help spread the word.
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