Matera cooperatives call for new affordable housing policy

Housing cooperatives in Matera are calling for a new housing policy to address skyrocketing property prices that are making homeownership increasingly difficult for middle-class citizens, young couples, and families. During a fourth technical-administrative meeting at the Matera City Hall on September 14, representatives from Agci, Confcooperative, and Legacoop met with Urban Planning Councilor Giuseppe Sicolo to discuss the role of cooperatives in providing affordable and subsidized housing.

The cooperatives are urging the municipality to implement long-term urban planning that identifies new areas specifically designated for subsidized housing. They argue that the current Urban Regulation fails to adequately consider social housing needs. The associations emphasize that without strategic planning and the allocation of land for affordable developments, the gap between housing costs and the economic reality of the population will continue to widen.