The mayor of Florence Dario Nardella has recently banned the use of residential homes for short-term tourist rentals within the entire UNESCO area of the historic centre. 

The purpose of the decision

The purpose of the stop is to support locals to live in the historic center which today is mainly flooded by air bnb apartments; As Nardella himself announced, “We realize that it is a legally bold rule, but we are aware that we can legally defend it. If we don’t try to take politically disruptive actions, no one makes a move: we’re tired of announcements, the problem has become structural”. He then continues: “we will use the tax lever for all those who want to collaborate and go back: the owners of properties, currently intended for short-term rentals, who want to return to long-term rentals, will have an incentive from our administration, the zeroing of the second home IMU for three years. An average apartment in the center pays more than 2,000 euros a year in IMU as a second home”.

Mr. Nardella concluded by saying: “We don’t understand why, in the face of an emergency of this kind, the Venice Air bnb Regulation should not be extended to all the cities of art that have Unesco heritage and similar characteristics” said the Mayor according to whom the government draft “does not contain any useful and effective solution in tackling the problem of housing in cities, high rents, and the impact of tourist flows on the real estate market”.