Evictions in Italy: Recognising the housing problem dispelling myths

This paper examines the problem of evictions in Italy, focusing on their quantitative dimension on a national and regional level, from the 1980s to the present. In line with many western European countries, particularly those in southern Europe, Italy has historically emphasised homeownership as the central pillar of its housing policy, relegating tenants' housing problems to the background. In an attempt to shed light on tenants' housing hardship, the analysis addresses evictions as one of their most pressing problems, according to the following research questions: Why is the phenomenon of evictions under-investigated in Italy? What is the current scenario of evictions in Italy and what public policies are in place to tackle them? The paper points out the high rate of evictions in Italy compared to other European countries, the increase in evictions for arrears and the inadequate use of public resources allocated to answer the problem. The proposed analysis advocate for reframing evictions as a pressing social issue with far-reaching political implications. This study is a first contribution to a broader research agenda on evictions in Italy.