In Sicilia si aggrava l'emergenza abitativa: 32% del reddito per avere una casa (ANCE Sicilia)

The article, published by ANCE Sicilia, presents the latest findings of the “Scenari edilizi regionali” report prepared by the national study centre of ANCE. It highlights a worsening housing affordability crisis across Sicily, affecting low‑income families and those in the “grey” middle‑income brackets. The analysis draws on data from builders’ federations and regional housing statistics, focusing on mortgage and rental cost burdens in major cities and tourist locales.

In Palermo, the mortgage‑to‑income ratio rose from 28 % in 2022 to 32 % in 2024, surpassing the critical threshold of one‑third of household income. Catania shows a similar trend, with the ratio reaching 31.5 % in 2024. Rental costs also exceed the affordability limit: 32.7 % of disposable income in Siracusa, 31.8 % in Palermo, 30.7 % in Catania and 30.5 % in Trapani.

The ten most expensive tourist municipalities, all in the province of Messina, exhibit the highest rent‑to‑income ratios in Sicily. Santa Marina Salina tops the list at 77.2 %, followed by Malfa (72.5 %), Leni (65.3 %), Taormina (62.3 %), Giardini Naxos (52.5 %), Lipari (51.5 %), Castelmola (49.6 %), Letojanni (47.6 %), Oliveri (41.2 %) and Capo d’Orlando (39.9 %). These figures underline the pressure that short‑term rental markets place on local housing availability.

Salvo Russo, regional president of ANCE Sicilia, stresses the urgency of a large‑scale housing plan to deliver affordable, energy‑efficient homes for vulnerable families, young couples and middle‑income households. The proposed plan would prioritise public residential construction, retrofitting existing buildings, social housing, urban regeneration and incentives for private owners to maintain vacant properties at reduced rents.

The national “Piano Casa” allocates €7.4 billion for Italy up to 2034. Additional European and national funds could raise the total to €10 billion, with a further €1.2 billion from the re‑modulated PNRR. The Sicilian regional government has earmarked €259 million of EU funds and €15 million over three years from the 2026‑2028 stability law for renovation incentives. Russo acknowledges that, while substantial, these resources remain insufficient to meet the social housing target.

Housing construction contributed 13.7 % to Sicily’s regional GDP in 2025 and accounted for 7.5 % of total employment. Post‑PNRR, public investment in residential building is viewed as a key lever to sustain productivity and job creation in the construction sector.

The Sicilian case illustrates how rising mortgage and rent burdens, intensified by short‑term rental growth, can jeopardise affordable housing and energy‑efficient retrofits. It underscores the need for coordinated policy measures, adequate financing and public‑private partnerships to achieve sustainable, inclusive housing—a challenge shared by many European regions.