Italy addresses housing crisis through local reforms and EU policy debates

Italy is facing diverse responses to a growing housing emergency, ranging from local regulatory reforms to debates over European Union legislation.

In Valmarecchia, the Unione dei Comuni has approved a new Public Residential Housing (Erp) regulation. The reform removes the three-year residency requirement to comply with Constitutional Court rulings and introduces a 6% quota for co-housing projects targeting vulnerable groups, including youth leaving care and people with disabilities.

In Sardinia, the regional government has launched a 15-million-euro extraordinary program to increase public and social housing. Funds will be distributed among major cities, including Alghero, Cagliari, Olbia, Quartu, and Sassari, to address housing pressure caused by tourism and student demand.

At the national and European levels, the proposed EU Affordable Housing Act has drawn criticism from industry groups. FIMAA Italia and Ance have expressed concerns that the regulation's measures may be disproportionate, potentially impacting property rights and short-term rentals without addressing the root causes of supply shortages. Meanwhile, Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore has called for a European fund to support housing and allow mayors to regulate short-term rentals.

In local politics, some officials have voiced opposition to measures that would halt evictions, arguing that such actions place an unfair burden on private property owners.