The city of Florence, one of Italy's top tourist destinations, has announced that it will ban the use of residential properties for short-term rental services, such as Airbnb, in its historic center.
“We know that it is a legally audacious law, but we are certain that we will be able to defend it in court. If we don't try to take politically innovative actions, no one will move. We are tired of promises, this problem has become structural”, declared Mayor Dario Nardella.
The objective is to encourage housing in the historic center of Florença, an area listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site, which is suffering from population loss, a reality common to many tourist areas in Italy.
According to the mayor, the new rule will not be retroactive, but provides tax incentives for owners who “want to collaborate and go back” in the allocation of their properties, such as tax relief on second homes, which currently amounts to around 2 thousand euros per year in an average apartment in the historic center.
The measure announced by Florence City Hall comes ahead of a project being discussed by the Italian government, which promises a package of actions to curb short-term rentals in the coming weeks.
Cities around the world blame the popularization of Airbnb and similar services for the population depletion of their historic centers.
With the increase in the supply of properties for tourists, the number of residences for long-term contracts decreases, increasing rental prices and forcing local residents to look for cheaper and more remote areas. (Photo: Depositphotos)
