Italy has announced one of its most significant housing plans in recent decades. The government intends to allocate around €10 billion to build and restore more than 100,000 housing units over the next 10 years. The plan was announced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after a cabinet meeting.

🏘 The main focus of the programme is new and renovated social housing. According to Meloni, the plan should help bring tens of thousands of homes back into use, including properties that currently cannot be allocated because they are in poor condition. The government separately stated that around 60,000 social housing units are expected to be restored.

📊 Key parameters of the programme:

— around €10 billion allocated to the housing plan;
— more than 100,000 new and restored housing units over 10 years;
— around 60,000 social housing units expected to be renovated and returned to use;
— part of the funding will be directed to municipalities through urban regeneration programmes;
— procedures for private owners are expected to be simplified.

🏙 For Italy, this is an important step, as housing affordability has become a serious issue in major cities and tourist regions. In Rome, Milan, Florence, Bologna, and other cities, demand for both rental and owner-occupied housing is supported by several factors at once: internal migration, student demand, tourism, foreign buyers, and the growing number of remote workers.

📈 The housing plan is unlikely to change the market immediately. The programme is designed for a 10-year period, so it will not solve the shortage of available housing in the short term. However, the signal itself is important: the government recognises the shortage of affordable housing and aims to increase supply not only through new construction, but also by restoring existing properties.

🏡 For buyers and investors, this means that the Italian housing market is entering a period of more active regulation. The state will try to expand the supply of affordable housing, while the most liquid properties in major cities, historic centres, and popular coastal regions are likely to remain in high demand.

📌 It will be especially important to monitor cities where supply is limited and demand remains stable. In such locations, even large government programmes do not always reduce price pressure quickly, because new housing takes years to build, while quality properties in strong locations remain a limited asset.

🏠 Potentially attractive locations for buyers include:

— Milan, as the country’s main business hub;
— Rome, as the largest market with stable rental demand;
— Florence and Bologna, supported by tourism and student demand;
— the coasts of Liguria, Tuscany, and southern Italy, where properties are often purchased for holidays, rental income, or long-term living.

🔎 Against the backdrop of this new housing plan, Italy is becoming an even more visible market for those considering European property for living or investment. You can explore available properties in Italy based on your budget and goals on our website.