Arenillas, Spain offers free housing and job to attract families

The municipality of Arenillas, a village of about 40 residents in the province of Soria, Castile and León, launched a program to draw new families to the settlement. Applicants who commit to moving permanently will receive a fully renovated municipal house with no rent, a guaranteed permanent position as a mason for one household member, and the option to manage the village’s social bar for additional income.

The package also includes free school transportation for children to the nearby school in Berlanga de Duero, an upgraded internet connection for remote work, and other community‑integration benefits. The initiative targets families with school‑age children and is part of a broader effort by Spanish rural authorities to counter ageing populations and depopulation in interior regions.