Italian cities move to curb short‑term rentals amid housing pressure

Rome’s municipal government has opened a dialogue with Airbnb to discuss new rules for short‑term rentals in the historic centre. City officials note that about 13,000 of the platform’s 20,000 active hosts operate in the central districts, and they are looking at selective limits modeled on Barcelona and Athens to curb overtourism while preserving tax revenues. A city spokesperson said, “Il nodo non è cancellare l’attività, ma governarne la concentrazione.”

In Modena, the tenant union Sunia exposed a series of illegal micro‑apartments being marketed as “lofts” or “garage‑lofts.” One 12‑square‑metre unit is advertised for €480 per month with a 6 + 6‑year commercial contract, deliberately sidestepping housing‑law limits. Sunia president Marzio Govoni warned that “L’unico modo per far entrare la luce in casa è aprire la serranda del garage sulla strada,” highlighting how such schemes evade legal standards and expose broader weaknesses in Italy’s rental market regulation.