Italy's One Euro Homes
The Italian town giving away houses
In Sicily, continued urbanization and emigration is leaving towns and villages practically deserted. In one town, authorities have come up with a solution: selling houses for 1 euro to be renovated.
In the Sicilian town of Mussomeli, a unique solution to the problem of abandoned homes has been developed: the 'Case 1 Euro' scheme. Houses are sold for 1 Euro, on the condition they'll be renovated. '[Renovation requires] a minimum of €20,000', explains one estate agent. Local Salvatore fears that the town may yet become a ghost town: 'On this street, you'd be amazed how many abandoned houses there are'. Though the scheme has proved popular, a concern is that many buyers will not reside permanently in the town. 'If you work remotely it's a great opportunity. But also, I say, think of something that's going to give jobs to the people of a town', says new resident Danny. Other towns are tackling the problem in different ways. In Camini, Rosario and Guisy set up a program to integrate refugees: ‘We gave help to[refugees], but in the same way these people were helping the village to have another chance.’
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