Accommodating the DNC in Philly: There’s a Better Way

As our fair city spruces up for the Democratic National Convention this month, we have another issue on our hands: Where are we putting all the out-of-towners visiting for this big event? Accommodation prices in Philly are skyrocketing in these last weeks before the DNC and many places are just flat-out booked. But we have the room to house them, and perhaps now we even have the technology to connect DNC supporters with visitors attending the festivities.

If you’re a supporter, consider joining the Horizon community. This recently landed on our radar and we’re in love. Horizon is a startup that facilitates hospitality exchange within trusted networks. The premise is fairly simple: Use your current networks and interests to house, friends and even “friends of friends.” It works a bit like couchsurfing meets AirBnB, but with an added layer of selection and privacy. Join only groups that interest you, and you choose who you host and when.

For instance, local democratic supporters in the city could choose to host others who support the cause. Rather than putting money allocated to accommodations into the coffers of hotels, invite your visitors to donate back to the DNC as a token of thanks.

We love that this type of connection is already happening — if you’re a DNC Action Committee host or a part of Bernie BNB, then consider Horizon a streamlined version of both of these services. Joining Horizon will give you larger reach and a better chance of helping house someone coming for the DNC this month. And any type of accommodation will work — offer a guest bedroom or even a couch. Community centers and churches around the city are opening their doors to attendees, and Horizon is quickly becoming a central spot for connecting attendees with local hosts.

To find the local DNC community — and to welcome out-of-towners with the same interest in democracy — it’s all pretty straightforward. Just download the Horizon app (on both iOS and Android, and on the Web), then use the unlock code “dnc2016”. This page has step-by-step instructions.

We have a lot of guests descending on our Philadelphia in just two weeks, why not give them a warm Philly welcome by inviting them into your home?