Italy is trying to attract new residents to its countryside in all sorts of ways, as thousands of small towns risk disappearing within 25 years.
In Italy’s mountainous Molise region, new residents were offered €700 ($770) a month for up to three years (a maximum of $27,000) to move to abandoned towns and open businesses. In Sicily, homes were selling for as little as €1 with buyers required to renovate them, attracting many despite the relatively high renovation costs and some unusual requirements.
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Business Insider reports that these efforts are part of a larger strategy to bring life back to Italy’s rural areas. Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. Combine that with migration to larger cities and abroad, and you have the perfect storm, causing the population in these rural areas to age and shrink even further.
Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, have also contributed to this decline by damaging homes and infrastructure, rendering some places uninhabitable. Ultimately, the combination of these factors has left many small towns struggling to survive, with some even at risk of disappearing altogether.
The latest program to attract people to the countryside is called “Residenzialità in Montagna 2024,” or Residency in the Mountains. It’s designed to encourage Italians, European Union citizens and even those from outside the EU to move to the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Officials have set up a €2.8 million (about $3 million) fund to help people move to rural areas and renovate their homes.
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Like other similar programs, this is part of an effort to help grow the populations of these shrinking areas. People can get grants of €10,000 to €30,000 ($10,750-$32,000) to move to Tuscany and renovate a home. Officials hope that moving to these mountainous regions will revitalize their economies and prevent them from becoming isolated and abandoned.
There is a catch, however: you must have lived in Italy continuously for at least 10 years. You must also make this new home your primary home. The deadline for applications is July 27.
The grants cover half the cost of renovating homes in one of 76 small Tuscan towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. These towns include San Casciano dei Bagni, known for its thermal baths; Caprese Michelangelo, the birthplace of the famous artist Michelangelo; and the island of Capraia Isola.
Tuscany is known for its beautiful landscapes, historic cities and rich cultural heritage, as well as its rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and picturesque villages. The region is also a major producer of wine, particularly Chianti.
You’ll also find the cities of Florence, known for its Renaissance art and architecture, Pisa, with its iconic Leaning Tower, and Siena, famous for its medieval cityscape and the Palio horse race.
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This article Italian Officials Offer $32,000 to Start Over in Tuscany. Is It Too Good to Be True? originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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