Pledge 63 – Florence

Florence joined EUROCITIES campaign InclusiveCities4All on 22 September, when Councillor Andrea Vannucci signed a pledge to principle 19 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, highlighting the city’s commitment to ensure the right to housing, including targeted assistance for the homeless.

The city has adopted a Housing First approach that seeks not only to build and allocate housing units, but sees housing policy as a strong engine for urban development and regeneration. Florence pursues a Smart Liveability model that supports independent living, which complements its integrated system for temporary accommodation. To achieve this, Florence has taken action to:

• Build 7,994 social houses to host 7,302 families (17,356 people)
• Open 4 new winter shelters for the homeless, hosting over 400 people.
• Extend temporary shelters during lockdown and kept them operational afterwards.
• Create 8 new social canteens that provided 35,826 meals in 2019.

To continue its efforts in line with principle 19, Florence commits to:

• Reconvert an old hospital into a social housing complex that will include 18 mini transitional units for about 54 people.
• Reconvert an old factory into social housing to host around 200 people.
• Create an intermediation and facilitation service and establish a guarantee fund to make unoccupied private housing available for people in need.
• Further develop the Integrated System of Temporary Hosting that provides social-housing services with low assistance intensity for temporary accommodation

Councillor Andrea Vannucci said: “Florence is committed to ensure the right to housing and promote social well-being. All actions and interventions carried out and in progress are aimed at ensuring decent and affordable housing, granting active support for the most vulnerable and equal opportunities for everybody”