SAN FRANCISCO -- "No more displacement," chanted dozens of protesters as they occupied the lobby at Airbnb's headquarters Monday afternoon.
As employees watched from upper floors, the demonstrators unleashed helium balloons bearing house-shaped signs. "Homelessness. Love, Airbnb," read one; "Evictions. Love, Airbnb" said another.
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The protesters aimed to hold the home-sharing company accountable for San Francisco's rising rent costs and increasing eviction rate. But they were also pretty whimsical, and occupied the building accompanied by the Brass Liberation Orchestra, according to San Francisco Weekly.
Breaking: housing and homelessness activists storm Airbnb HQ, with brass band pic.twitter.com/AXrt3yhxRy— Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) November 2, 2015
"There are over 3,000 homeless children in San Francisco," activist Maria Zamudio, an organizer with Causa Justa, told SF Weekly. "Airbnb's practice of turning homes into hotels is exacerbating those conditions."
Protest against @Airbnb at their headquarters. pic.twitter.com/7hZgPtma2w— Adelin Cai (@adelin) November 2, 2015
The floating signs echoed Airbnb's tone-deaf advertising campaigns placed around the city less than two weeks ago -- ads which boasted about the tax revenue the company brings to the city, and how much more it could bring.
Chill billboard, @airbnb pic.twitter.com/4QuRJSaG0N— ｊｄｅｎ (@jden415) October 22, 2015
The billboards were placed in response to Proposition F, a measure that would restrict short-term housing. That could hamper the company's business in its lucrative home city.
Share Better SF, an organization that supports Prop F, claims that the measure would protect the city's affordable housing as well as limiting evictions. But No on F supporters argue that home-shares like Airbnb actually help local residents make enough money to be able to stay in their homes.
The protest at Airbnb comes a day before San Francisco is set to vote on Proposition F. Organizers also set up tables of free pizza for the homeless in an effort to shine light on the effects of eviction.
Homeless folks stock up on leftover food from Airbnb protest on Brannan Street as protesters debrief pic.twitter.com/4aG6qk7X7B— Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) November 2, 2015
According to SF Weekly, protesters left after about 90 minutes. Though security and San Francisco police observed the protest, they did not interfere or make any arrests.
Airbnb did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment.