Executive Findings

For generations, Latino families in the United States have built economic security the same way: by working, saving, pooling resources across households, and putting whatever assets they have to productive use. What has changed is not the ambition; it’s the tool these families can use to achieve the American Dream.

New national research commissioned by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Airbnb, fi nds that Latino adults increasingly view short-term rental hosting not as a side activity but as a potential pathway for entrepreneurship, and, for older Latinos, as a practical tool of retirement security. 76% of Latino adults say short-term rental hosting can supplement household income, and 68% see it as a viable entry into entrepreneurship or small-business ownership. Among Latino homeowners aged 55 and older, 82% say hosting can help older adults supplement retirement income.

These are tangible indicators of a population that is prepared to work and innovate, mindful of resources out of necessity, and realistic about what it takes to make ends meet. Three key fi ndings underpin this report:

● First, Latinos treat entrepreneurship as a security strategy, not a risk. 84% say fl exible income opportunities help families manage living costs. 78% say starting a small business is a realistic path to fi nancial stability, while 72% say small business ownership builds wealth across generations. 68% see short-term hosting specifi cally as a possible pathway into entrepreneurship or small-business ownership.
● Second, hosting can turn the home into an income-generating asset across life stages. Third, Latino adults support reasonable regulations for short-term rentals. An overwhelming majority agree that residents should be allowed to host under reasonable regulations. 79% feel that local rules for individuals should be clear and easy to understand, and 74% agree that the rules should distinguish between residents sharing their homes and companies operating many properties. This underscores the important role reasonable regulations play in keeping short-term rental opportunities accessible to Latino families.

The USHCC’s conclusion from this data is that short-term rental hosting opportunities present a meaningful on-ramp to Latino entrepreneurship and a viable supplement to Latino retirement savings. 71% of Latino adults say hosting can help families use property to support multiple generations, rising to 81% among those living in multigenerational households — the very families carrying the heaviest fi nancial obligations. This study indicates that Latinos support balanced policies that allow individual families to build generational wealth.

About the Study

This report draws on a national bilingual survey of 1,516 U.S. adults, including 1,211 Latino adults and a 305 general-population comparison sample. The survey was self-administered online in English and Spanish and examined entrepreneurship, fi nancial security, family and community values, fl exible income, retirement, generational wealth, and attitudes toward local policy. Results were weighted separately to appropriate population benchmarks