Not only Milano, Roma e Bologna: student protest against the expensive rent extends to all of Italy. The student union University Union threw one national mobilization to denounce the housing crisis and ask the government for answers. The slogan is homeless, no future. Protest initiatives started on Tuesday a Cagliari and will continue on Wednesday in Turin, Florence and Pavia. “Despite the clamorous protest at the Milan Polytechnic – attacks Camilla Piredda, national coordinator of Udu – the government has not yet made any concrete commitment to resolve the housing crisis. Indeed, the minister Bernini with today’s serious statement confirms the bankruptcy line of the Pnrr, although the first appropriations have shown how the resources are going largely to the private sector and to the free market, not significantly favoring the Right to Education. For these reasons, we have decided to join the appeal launched by Ilaria and Terna Sinistrorsa, pitching tents in front of universities throughout Italy”. The university minister has in fact signed the decree which, in implementation of the measures envisaged by the Pnrr sets up an inter-ministerial working group in charge of “identifying the controlled average cost for each bed at the territorial level, taking into account the reference market values, the types of properties and the level of services offered. In addition, a 15 percent reduction is envisaged to determine the final cost per bed”.
The student union asks the government to confront “who represents the new generations, since the Next Generation EU it should improve their conditions”. Simone Agutoli who deals with the housing issue for the UDU explained: “We are sending a letter to the Minister of University and Research, in which we ask for a discussion and the opening of a table to deal with the housing emergency. First of all, we ask to create university residences that fall within the right to study, the only ones that can guarantee that all students can study, regardless of their economic situation. But then we also ask to increase the support fund to non-residents, for which the budget law has only foreseen 4 million euros. An evidently ridiculous figure given the colossal housing crisis and high rents”.
The Union of University Students has drawn up a manifesto consisting of 10 proposals to address the housing crisis. Some of the requests are also directed to the Ministry of Infrastructures, Agutoli always explains: “We believe it is necessary to act on the tax leverage and counteract rents in the black. For example, we find it unacceptable that the 21% flat rate coupon on free rents: why is it necessary to apply a preferential taxation in favor of those who charge a thousand euros for a room? Instead, we need to make the fee more attractive agreed. Another fundamental request is the blocking of price increases: as happens in France, Spain or Germany, it is necessary to identify a more stringent limit for the annual adjustment of the rent, it is not possible that the rent can grow by 10% following inflation annua”.