Emilia-Romagna modifies public housing access rules

The Emilia-Romagna regional government has approved changes to the rules governing access to public housing (ERP). The new regulations, passed by the Territory and Environment commission, shift the authority for awarding preferential points based on residency seniority directly to individual municipalities and mayors.

Furthermore, the new rules remove the requirement for applicants to hold a specific employment contract to qualify for housing. This change follows rulings from the Constitutional Court and the Bologna court, which deemed such requirements discriminatory. Under the new guidelines, non-EU citizens residing legally in Italy can qualify by presenting a residence permit with a validity of at least two years.

The decision has drawn criticism from political groups such as Lega and Fratelli d’Italia. Opponents argue the measure abandons municipalities to manage complex social issues alone and raises concerns regarding equity, noting that foreign nationals already occupy a significant portion of public housing in certain areas.