Housing in Milan, from the new co-op Lum-Ccl 1100 dwellings and investment of 18 million

The objective is to build over a thousand dwellings, 300 of which will be rented at subsidised rates - in addition to a maintenance plan for the existing ones - for an investment of 18 million, so as to meet the need for houses among the 'fragile' segments of the population. Yesterday, the new cooperative Lum (Libera Unione Mutualistica) was officially presented in Milan. It was created following the merger between Delta Ecopolis, Edificatrice Ferruccio Degradi and Cooperativa Abitanti Settimo Milanese, three cooperatives with solid assets, sharing the same values and representing a reference point for their respective territories on housing. A response born from the common desire to ensure access to housing at the best affordable conditions, following an innovative cooperative model based on the participation of members.

In the Lombard capital, rents have risen by more than 40 per cent over the past five years. According to data from the Oca Observatory - a scientific tool created by LUM, Ccl and the DAsTU of the Milan Polytechnic - between 2015 and 2021, average prices for buying a home grew by 41 per cent, while rents rose by 22 per cent. Household incomes and wages, however, did not experience the same momentum and grew by only 12 per cent over the same period. In addition, from 2015 to 2022, eviction orders were issued for 10,040 households in the municipality of Milan. Of these, 87% were caused by a condition of delinquency. A situation that has become difficult even for younger people who want to access housing for the first time.

"We have gathered the most important players in the housing sector around a table to show that true social housing intervention is possible under certain conditions. Only by starting a collective reflection can we reach the goal of affordable housing by exploiting participatory finance tools,' explains Vincenzo Barbieri, president of Lum. Over the next few years, we have set ourselves the goal of building - always faithful to the precepts of non-profit mutualism and in the perspective outlined by the Lum - Ccl (Workers' Cooperative Consortium) alliance - 1,100 dwellings, 300 of which are available for rent, and we plan a three-year redevelopment programme on the cooperative's real estate assets, for an investment of over 18 million euro". The average rent charged to its members in return for the use of the housing is 60 euro per square metre per year: this has been and continues to be an answer to the need for housing for the working classes who do not qualify for public housing but cannot afford the prices of the free market.

There are numerous real estate projects on which Lum is working, trying to cover the many areas of Milan where it is active, including Certosa, Bonola, Lambrate, the former slaughterhouse area and Scalo Romana. The central objective remains to offer a housing solution that can be truly accessible and give new life to disused spaces and neighbourhoods.