L'AQUILA - A house for rent at a symbolic price and a few tens of thousands of euros for young people who want to move to the village and start a business.
The initiative launched by the Municipality of Santo Stefano di Sessanio - an enchanted village located at the foot of the Gran Sasso, in the Aquila region, which became known some ago for the widespread hotel project - ends on the CNN, which recalls how the village is inhabited for just 115 people, only 20 of them under the age of 13.
"You already know how it works: the idyllic hilltop village in Italy with an aging population wants new life - writes the American network in the Travel edition - Normally, the next step is to sell abandoned houses for one euro. Now comes an even better deal. . Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a fortified medieval village in Abruzzo, offers to pay people willing to move and start a business there, and will support them by also giving them a place to live. "
"The remote Italian rural cities, especially in the mountainous regions and in the south of the country, have suffered an exodus of residents since the end of the Second World War", recalls CNN, which adds: "the Covid-19 pandemic, with the transition to remote work, has seen a renewed interest in Italians who move to rural areas ".
In the article, signed by Julia Buckley, it is recalled that candidates must be between 18 and 40 years old, they must be resident in Italy, but not in the surroundings of Santo Stefano, or European citizens.
In the case of Italian citizens, they must come from a place with more than two thousand inhabitants: "They do not want to fight the loss of population by removing residents from other small communities", it says.
Those selected will have to stay in the country for a minimum of five years.
The Municipality will pay new residents a monthly sum for 36 months, up to a maximum of 8 thousand euros per year, as well as a one-off contribution of up to 20 thousand euros to get a business off the ground.
Added to this is a house to live in at a "symbolic" rental cost.
"So what kind of life awaits those who move? - asks CNN - The nearest city is L'Aquila, half an hour away. Abruzzo capital, was devastated by the 2009 earthquake and is still undergoing reconstruction. Rome is about two hours away and the fabulous Adriatic coast is a 90 minute drive away. Ready to go? Full details and application form are on the council website. Deadline is November 15th, "he concludes the article.