The recent approval of the Lazio Regional Urban Planning Commission has introduced important innovations on the amnesty of attics, transforming them into an opportunity both for the owners and for the tourist market.
Thanks to the amendments to the law on “Simplifications and measures to incentivize local government”, the technical rooms illegally transformed into apartments will finally be able to be renovated, thus increasing their value and offering new possibilities of use, including tourist accommodation.
Let’s see in detail what will change.
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Attics: an expanded amnesty
The new legislation represents a real paradigm shift for the attic management in Lazio. Before this measure, only attics built by 1 June 2017 could be subject to building amnesty, thus leaving out a vast range of cases of irregular transformations that occurred in subsequent years.
With the extension of the amnesty to completed properties until 31 December 2023the owners now have the possibility to remedy illegal situations that had remained pending, avoiding sanctions and giving a legal value to the properties. This step not only reduces the risk of legal disputes, but significantly increases the market value of such properties, which can be used both as homes and for tourism purposes, such as transformation into bed & breakfasts or holiday homes.
An important aspect is the possibility of using these premises in a historical moment characterized by a strong increase in hypertourism. Regularization allows a greater number of accommodation facilities to be placed on the market, responding to growing demand, especially in urban areas and in places with high tourist attraction.
However, there is no shortage of criticism: according to some observers, the expansion of the amnesty could incentivize further building abuses, as well as exacerbating the phenomenon of hypertourism in already saturated areas. The lack of rigorous controls on the quality and safety of building interventions, especially in cases of conversion to tourist use, is a topic that raises controversy.
Another key point of the law concerns the obligation to respect the provisions of the national decree on recovery for housing and tourism purposes. This means that regularization is not automatic: the owners will have to demonstrate the conformity of the interventions with the current technical and urban planning regulations. In particular, it will be necessary to present documentation relating to the systems, usability and minimum safety standards to obtain the definitive green light for the transformation of the attics.
With this provision, the Lazio Region intends to offer a concrete opportunity to citizens, balancing the needs of building recovery with those of tourism and housing development. However, the effectiveness of the rule will depend on its practical implementation and the ability to monitor any abuse.
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News for agricultural areas: new destinations and income opportunities
In addition to the changes relating to attics, another important innovation introduced by the Commission concerns agricultural areas. Buildings located in the countryside, built by 31 December 2023 and by now without an agricultural functionthey can be used for new purposes without the need to change the intended use.
The possibilities include demonstrations and events, a change that has raised much controversy.
The amendment, supported by councilor Pasquale Ciacciarelli, allows agricultural owners to rent out their spaces for events, thus increasing the income of agricultural companies. This could facilitate the organization of parties, weddings or rural fairs, giving new life to unused buildings. However, critics argue that this measure could be exploited to facilitate less regulated events, such as rave parties, counteracting the Meloni government’s fight against these demonstrations.
At the same time, the law also introduces important benefits for rural homes. The buildings intended for residence in agricultural areas can be expanded with the construction of appurtenant works such as sheds, balconies and porticoes. Furthermore, it will be possible to build swimming poolsboth underground and prefabricated, up to one maximum surface area of 60 square meters.
This, combined with the possibility of building horse boxes (up to four structures of 12 square meters each), makes it easier to transform old farmhouses into luxury homes with swimming pool and stables.
These changes aim to stimulate the rural economy, offering farmers and landowners new investment and income opportunities. However, their implementation could have side effects, such as an increase in urban planning pressure in green areas or the intensification of tourist activities in areas traditionally dedicated to agriculture.
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Social housing: new perspectives for young people
Among the innovations approved by the Regional Urban Planning Commission, a central role is occupied by the changes relating to social housing. Previously, young people who purchased such properties could rent them, but not use them as their primary residence for a period of 15 years. Now, however, the legislation allows them to purchase and use these apartments immediately, as long as they commit to maintaining residence for the same period of time.
This change aims to make housing more accessible to young people, counteracting the phenomenon of emigration of new generations to other regions or countries, often caused by the difficulty of finding housing solutions at sustainable costs. According to the councillor Laura Corrottithis measure represents a concrete step towards supporting the new generations of the Lazio Region, encouraging housing stability and rooting in the territory.
The possibility of immediately using the properties purchased represents a great advantage, both in terms of quality of life and family and economic planning. Furthermore, this change reduces the downtime that previously discouraged many potential buyers, making social housing a more attractive option and closer to the real needs of young people.
However, there is no shortage of critical voices: some observers believe that the obligation to maintain residence for 15 years could be limiting for young people, especially in an increasingly dynamic working and social context, where mobility is often a necessity. It remains to be seen whether this measure will be sufficient to respond to the housing challenges of the young population or whether it will require further interventions to increase the attractiveness of the social housing system.
