Philadelphians who have space available for travelers to the city during the visit of Pope Francis and the World Meeting of Families in September now have a place to advertise those accommodations.
The service is not for those looking for a big payoff.
With only 11,000 hotel rooms in Philadelphia, the Catholic Archdiocese has tapped Homestay.com to connect visitors with locals who have a spare room. Some of the expected 2 million visitors will prefer avoiding a hotel, said Alan Clarke of Homestay.
"What we find is that the appetite to host and be hosted is a global phenomenon, but it delivers a local experience," he said.
During other events in other cities, Clarke said visitors paid an average of $40 per night.
"A guest would look to make a booking, they would pay a deposit up front of 10 percent of the stay," he explained. "But the price per night is really being set by the host family."
Renting out a room -- whether with Homestay.com or through AirBnB.com and other services -- occupies a gray area in Philly. While technically not illegal, zoning laws bar it in most neighborhoods.