Social Housing in Italy: Old Problems, Older Vices and Some New Virtues?

Social housing in Italy, its historical and recent developments, and its critical issues are discussed considering both the pre- and the post-crisis period. The main effects of the crisis of the Italian households and the background of tougher housing problems are also analysed. An analytical review of the main policy tools implemented before and after the crisis is provided, with a special focus on the new models of intervention. It is not clear how the housing needs of low income households will be addressed in the near future. Traditional public-managed social housing has been left with insufficient resources while the newly built affordable housing sector is mainly targeting mid-income households. Several new policy tools have been deployed and billions of euros invested. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to observe a consistent strategy addressed to increase the level of social protection in the housing domain, besides the conventional management of “emergencies”.