23 July 2026
Summary
‘Guidelines for Social Housing’ is a Lombardy-based regional programme in Italy, which is structured around 3 areas of intervention:
1) To promote the supply of public and private real estate stock for rental purposes.
2) To refurbish vacant or underused ALER public housing via social-housing interventions and public-private collaboration.
3) To support social housing projects promoted by third-sector organisations to foster housing autonomy and expand temporary housing services.
Organisation
Region of Lombardy, Italy
Context/ Social issues addressed
The programme responds to severe housing pressure in Lombardy’s cities: rising rents and prices, growth of short-term lets and gentrification, surging demand for affordable housing and difficulties in recruiting qualified staff in essential services. It targets the “grey area” (households unable to access either the private market or public housing, being neither eligible for social housing nor able to buy at market prices) and essential public-service workers, alongside students, temporary workers and other vulnerable groups. By reusing under-used ALER public stock, the practice seeks social mix and cohesion while reducing land consumption.
* ALER: “Aziende Lombarde per l’Edilizia Residenziale Pubblica”. It constitutes the public housing bodies in the Lombardy region which own and manage a large share of the region’s public housing stock, handling activities such as property management, maintenance, allocations, and tenant services.
Objectives
- Enhance existing unused housing stock
- Promote urban regeneration
- Foster social integration
Activities
Regional incentives proportional to the duration of social housing services, construction coverage, and assignment of ALER units through calls for tenders, expressions of interest, and agreements. Guidelines of social housing Public-private partnerships for permanent rentals at affordable rents and promotion of urban regeneration to improve the quality of life in ERP neighborhoods. The Region has approved the guidelines and allocated €32.5 million for both actions. *EPR: “Edilizia Residenziale Pubblica” and it refers to publicly owned housing, often known as council or social housing. RHis housing is primarily offered for rent at below market rates and allocated based on eligibility criteria, to support households that cannot meet their housing needs through the private market.
Outcomes
Expected results include an increase in the supply of affordable housing, the regeneration of public housing districts (so called ERP neighborhoods), and the consolidation of effective public-private partnership models such as "4 Corti di Stadera."
Funding Source
Regional Government Funds
Links to supporting documents