The Calabria Region in southern Italy has opened applications for a program offering rent-free housing for 10 years to people willing to move to small municipalities. The initiative, called Ripopola Calabria, initially made 50 properties available and will accept applications until Dec. 18, 2026.
The goal is to combat depopulation in small Italian villages, known as borghi, by restoring abandoned or unused public properties.
The homes will be renovated with funds from the regional government and assigned to selected residents through a comodato d’uso gratuito contract, an arrangement that allows them to use the property without paying rent.
The properties will not be donated and will remain publicly owned. Beneficiaries must maintain residence in the homes throughout the 10-year term of the contract.
Who can participate in the program
Ripopola Calabria is intended for people over 18 who have lived outside Calabria for at least three years and are interested in moving their residence to one of the participating municipalities.
Applicants must also not have received public funds to purchase a home, in accordance with the conditions established in the regional call for applications.
Applications will be evaluated by a commission, using scoring criteria that favor certain profiles, including families with children, single-parent families, young couples, people with disabilities and workers who can relocate their activities to the region.
Calabrian emigrants who wish to return, self-employed professionals and people who work remotely are also among the groups covered by the scoring criteria.
Meeting the requirements, however, does not guarantee that a home will be granted. Properties will be assigned through public rankings for each home.
Onde buscar informações e como se inscrever
Quer participar do programa Ripopola Calabria, que oferece casas sem aluguel por dez anos? Consulte os canais oficiais, conheça os imóveis disponíveis e verifique os requisitos para apresentar sua candidatura.
Informações sobre o programa, requisitos e procedimentos.
Fotografias, localização, plantas e informações sobre as moradias.
Canal oficial para informações, orientações e dúvidas sobre as candidaturas.
Atendimento geral da Região da Calábria (URP). Não é uma linha exclusiva do programa Ripopola Calabria.
Regras, critérios de seleção, condições e documentos do programa.
Regione Calabria
Cittadella Regionale
Viale Europa, Località Germaneto
88100 Catanzaro (CZ), Itália.
Até 18 de dezembro de 2026, às 17h , no horário da Itália. As candidaturas exigem identificação digital aceita pela plataforma, como SPID, CIE ou eIDAS.
Can Brazilians apply for the free homes?
The program is not exclusive to Italian citizens. Under the official rules, eligible participants include Italians residing in the country, Italian citizens registered with AIRE, citizens of other European Union countries and third-country nationals who hold a document allowing legal residence in Italy.
Therefore, Brazilians whose Italian citizenship has already been recognized may apply, provided they meet the other requirements.
Brazilians without Italian citizenship may also be eligible, but they must meet the immigration requirements set out in the call for applications.
Selection to receive a home does not grant a visa, residence permit or Italian citizenship. Anyone planning to move from Brazil must first verify that they have the documentation needed to reside legally in the country.
It is also important to note that the application requires digital identification accepted by the Italian platform.
How the rent-free homes work
The homes will be made available by participating municipalities and will undergo restoration work funded by the Calabria Region.
The program includes properties of up to 140 square meters, which will be intended exclusively as beneficiaries’ residences.
The contract will last 10 years, with no rent charged. During that period, residents must maintain their residence at the property.
The properties may not be used for commercial purposes or subleased.
Furniture is not included in the renovations, according to the official portal.
At the end of the 10 years, the Region and the municipalities may adopt measures to extend residents’ stay, including a possible renewal of the contract or the option to purchase the property at reduced prices.
These alternatives, however, depend on future procedures and do not constitute a guarantee of purchase or continued residence after the initial term.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted exclusively online through the official Ripopola Calabria portal.
The platform allows users to view the properties, photographs, floor plans, property registry information and images of the renovation projects.
Each applicant may indicate up to three homes, listed in order of preference.
To complete the application, applicants must access the system through SPID, CIE or a digital identity recognized by the European eIDAS system.
The deadline to submit an application is 5 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2026, Italy time.
After the deadline, a commission will evaluate the applications and prepare candidate rankings.
The properties will not necessarily be ready for immediate occupancy. According to the regional government, the work must be completed within 18 months after the rankings are finalized and agreements between the Region and the municipalities are signed.
The homes will be handed over after the renovations and required checks are completed.
Which towns in Calabria are participating
The project includes small municipalities in Calabria, especially places with fewer than 5,000 residents affected by population loss.
The municipalities mentioned in the initiative’s announcement include Alessandria del Carretto, Altilia, Belmonte Calabro, Cerisano, Laino Borgo and San Lorenzo Bellizzi, in the province of Cosenza.
Also included are Amato, San Floro and Zagarise, in the province of Catanzaro; Grotteria and Santo Stefano in Aspromonte, in the province of Reggio Calabria; Caccuri, in the province of Crotone; and Cessaniti, in the province of Vibo Valentia.
The complete list of participating municipalities and available properties should be consulted directly on the official Ripopola Calabria portal.
Calabria seeks to attract new residents
Ripopola Calabria is funded with resources from the Calabria Region’s Development and Cohesion Plan.
The initiative seeks to restore unused public properties, attract new residents and stimulate economic activity in municipalities affected by depopulation.
According to the regional government, the proposal also aims to strengthen commerce, local services and integration between new residents and existing communities.
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