To reverse years of population decline, the region of Calabria, Italy wants to provide up to €28,000 ($33,000) over a maximum of three years to those willing to migrate to sleepy communities with fewer than 2,000 residents.
These may include areas that are both mountainous and by the sea. But this money isn’t being wasted. To get the funding, newcomers must also agree to launch a small business, either from scratch or by accepting existing offers of particular professions sought after by the communities.
Sorry baby boomers, but applicants must take up residence and be no older than 40. After their application is accepted, they have 90 days to get settled in Calabria. The offer is expected to draw energetic young people and millennials who are keen to work. A provincial councilor, Gianluca Gallo, told CNN that for two to three years, the monthly income might be between €1,000 and €800.
As an alternative, there can be one-time assistance to assist with the opening of a new commercial venture, such as a bed and breakfast, restaurant, bar, rural farm, or store.
He told CNN that they are “fine-tuning the technical aspects, the precise monthly amount and length of the funds, and whether to additionally include somewhat larger settlements with up to 3,000 residents.”
“Villages have shown a lot of interest so far, and perhaps if this first plan works, more will follow in the years to come.” According to Gianpietro Coppola, mayor of Altomonte, who participated in the project, the “active residency income” project, which is intended to increase Calabria’s appeal as a location for “south-work” (the rebranded southern Italy version of remote working), aims to increase the appeal of the region.
He claims that compared to the previous headline-grabbing one-euro property sell-offs, it is a more focused strategy for reviving tiny towns. “This is intended to be a social inclusion experiment. Encourage people to settle in the area, let them enjoy the scenery, and equip empty town spaces like convents and conference rooms with high-speed internet. The one euro dwellings and hazy tourism are not the greatest strategies to revitalize the south of Italy “affirms Coppola.
