Rent, 2026 funds still insufficient to help families in difficulty

The trend in the number ofevictions is a sign of the seriousness of the housing situation for a growing number of households. However, there is a laziness in addressing the situation, which is also confirmed by the Budget Manoeuvre 2026. Barring changes in Parliament, the only new allocation that will be found in the state budget is 20 million euros, starting next year, for financial support to separated or divorced parents who have had to leave the family home. Assuming a contribution of EUR 300 per month, this would help 5,500 separated fathers to pay their rent: the exact figure will have to be established by decree of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, for the issuance of which no deadline is indicated.

For the rest, there continues to be insufficient or a lack of funding for the instruments that could help reduce the difficulties of households to stay in their homes and make ends meet, between salaries and wages on the one hand, and rents and mortgage repayments on the other. Without any increase in the endowment, next year the Fund for morosity incolpevole will be able to distribute among the Regions the 25 million euro allocated by the 2025 Budget Law (Law 207/2024, article 1, paragraph 118). If the maximum expected contribution of 8 thousand euro is disbursed, the eviction for arrears could be avoided for just over 3,100 families (with Isee up to 26 thousand euro) who have stopped paying the rent due to an involuntary loss or reduction of their income. On the other hand, households for whom the regularly paid rent weighs too heavily on their wallets will receive no help at all: the so-called Social Fund for Rent will remain dry next year as well.

Last August, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the preparation of a large Housing Plan to allow young couples to rent a house at a subsidised rent. But it is still on hold. With the risk that this will be prolonged until 2028, which is the first year in which it will be possible to start committing a portion of the 550 million euros of the Italian Housing Plan envisaged by the Budget Law 2025. In the meantime, interventions to deal with the housing emergency and hardship are entrusted to Municipalities and Regions, which in the absence of state and own funding resort to banks. As Emilia Romagna will do: by 25 November next, the municipalities will be able to send the regional offices the lists of vacant council houses, for the recovery of which they do not have sufficient resources. It will be the Region that will provide these resources, making a mortgage to be amortised with thecalmed rents paid by the tenants. There is no guarantee, however, that families on the waiting lists, some of them long, for the allocation of a population house will live in the reclaimed housing.