Radicondoli today has less than a thousand inhabitants. Fifty years ago, it was about three thousand. Like many municipalities in the Tuscan hinterland, it has lost population steadily. Thus, while in many European cities the cost of rents continues to grow, some small Italian municipalities like Radicondoli are looking for new residents offering direct economic contributions. Here, in fact, the municipality is willing to cover half of the canon for those who decide to move. The aid is planned for the first two years, provided that the transfer takes place by the beginning of 2026 and that the application is submitted by December 2025
The municipality today has 966 inhabitants, against about 3,000 registered in the 1970s. The decrease has been progressive and has followed a common trend to many Tuscan hills, penalized by the depopulation and ageing of the population. Already in 2023 the administration had started a first phase of incentives, destined to those who bought the house: the expected contribution was 20,000 euros, plus 6,000 for housing expenses. According to Mayor Francesco Guarguaglini, that intervention led to the financing of 23 trades and the arrival of about 60 new residents.
Unlike other programs that have become known in recent years, such as those of the “houses to a euro” activated in many municipalities of South Italy, Radicondoli does not propose symbolic properties or under conditions of strong degradation. The local market includes apartments of medium-small size, like a four-room apartment of approximately 72,000 euros, but also renovated farmhouses of much higher value, with prices that can exceed the million euros.
The new incentive on rentals is especially designed for those who do not intend to buy a house immediately. In this case a minimum stay of four years is required, while for those who buy the obligation rises to ten. Similar requirements are common in such initiatives and serve to avoid temporary or purely speculative transfers. Similar programmes were also adopted in other parts of Europe: In Switzerland, for example, the Alpine village of Albinen offers contributions of up to 25,000 francs for new residents, while in Ireland some smaller islands have provided incentives for repopulation.
Radicondoli is located between Val di Cecina and Val d’Elsa, in an area characterized by small medieval centers and an economy linked mainly to tourism, agriculture and local services. The municipality also focuses on cultural initiatives and a network of associative activities to make the transfer more sustainable in the long term. The details of the program, including access methods and selection criteria, are available on the institutional site of the municipality.
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