Nowadays even families are becoming “studentized”. It is with this neologism that Laura Grandi, secretary of the Sunia tenants’ union, explains how Italian families, unable to afford very expensive rent in Florence, are forced to go to living in the same apartment with other families of strangers.
The most recent case, Grandi says, concerns a couple with two children, who shares the kitchen, dining room and toilet with a couple without children. “They didn’t know each other, luckily they got along well until now.”
I am in Florence twenty thousand families – Sunia’s estimate is for 2023 – desperately looking for a homein a city where Airbnbs have reduced the available housing stock and have also pushed up the price of homes still aimed at medium-long term rentals.
Another effect is that now, inevitably, many are looking beyond Florence: «But prices have also soared in the Piana. Many now go to live in Montelupo, in Figline Valdarno. But, consequently, prices are growing there too: so in Montelupo a rent that until a few years ago cost 400 euros a month has now risen to 6-700″, says Grandi.
However, not everyone can afford to live far from the city. Especially because between bars, restaurants, hotels and Airbnb, workers’ schedules are often not office ones. Al Sunia, they quote the case of the barmaid who had found a home in Castelfiorentino but had to give up because, depending on the shifts, he has to raise the shutter at 6 in the morning or lower it at 11pm, when the extra-urban public transport vehicles are stopped.
Extreme cases and houses “shared” with tourists
Thus, Italians and foreigners are looking for every type of solution to try to stay in Florence. The Corriere Fiorentino, last August, had described the phenomenon of the “bassi” at the Neapolitan street in via dei Pepi. But it also happens in the suburbs: «In via delle Panche there are Italian families who live in rooms on the ground floor that are uninhabitable and, incredibly, have regular rental contracts – Grandi continues – In via del Ponte alle Mosse, in closed shopshouses inhabited by foreigners with illegal contracts are popping up.”
The owners can invent anything, like require renting students to occupy homes only from Monday to Friday, to make room for tourists on weekends.
In 2023, 60% of those who turned to SUNIA were Italian. But if we limit the discussion to those looking for a home, the picture is reversed and 60% are foreigners: «There is not only a problem of discrimination, but also of the guarantees required. Those who don’t have family here and no one who can act as their guarantor often hear themselves told no.”
For some it is even more difficult
Eviction executions, however, are decreasing: 100 per month, compared to 130 at the beginning of last year. But according to Grandi, «in 2023 the delays accumulated during the pandemic had to be made up. AND now there are elections and perhaps there is more caution. But in the Court there are 200 eviction validations per month, 10% more than last year.”
The picture is not comforting. A group of associations (Cospe lead) works within the European project Asap to create an economic guarantee fund for vulnerable people looking for accommodation. «This initiative aims to be a contribution – says Camilla Bencini of Cospe – But we also need to take charge of politics and local administrations».
As for the Region, its Piano Casa provides 39 million for new public housing throughout Tuscanyplus another 10 for renovations (in addition to a further 20 connected to the Pnrr): «But we are only working with regional resources, the government has canceled everything, including the rent contribution which for us was worth 20 million a year», comments the regional councilor for housing, Serena Spinelli.
