Towns across Italy have been racing to launch clever projects aimed at encouraging new residents to revive (复兴) their fortunes in recent years. From old homes selling for little more than a dollar to ready-to-occupy houses at knockdown prices, there's been a crazy competition.
The town of Presicce in the sunny region of Puglia is the latest to enter the game with a tantalizing offer. Officials say they'll pay people up to 30,000 euros to buy an empty dwelling (住宅) and take up residency.
Even better, the houses for sale as part of the deal are priced from around 25,000 euros. Like other cheap properties on sale across Italy, they've been long abandoned by their original owners. There's an added bonus: they're surrounded by the nature of the Salento area and close to beautiful beaches and greenish-blue clear waters of Santa Maria di Leuca.
"There're many empty homes in the historical center built before 1991, which we'd like to see alive again with new residents," says local official Alfredo Palese. "It's a pity to witness how our old districts full of history, wonderful architecture and art are slowly emptying."
"We'll be offering up to 30,000 euros to people willing to move here and buy one of these abandoned dwellings," he adds. "The total funding will be split into two: it'll go partly into buying an old home and partly into restyling it, if needed."
A 2019 merger (合并) with a neighboring community to create the larger town of Presicce-Acquarica has left extra money to ensure the project can continue for years to come. "After the merger, our wider territory will be blessed with more public funds, roughly 1,000,000 euros per year for several years forward, which we intend to invest to revitalize the old district," says Palese.
Together, Presicce and Acquarica have 9,000 residents but only half of them live in the older part of the community. So the town hall has already launched other projects to attract more residents, including tax benefits to set up new business activities and baby bonuses for families with kids.
