Restrictions on new short-term rentals are being expanded in Florence, as the municipality is already working on a plan to extend the ban to areas outside the UNESCO-protected historic center.
The new regulation, which is expected to be presented to a city council committee and approved in early June, provides for a two-year “freeze” on new tourist accommodation properties across an area of approximately 16 square kilometers. If implemented, the number of homes subject to restrictions will rise to more than 103,000, compared with around 35,500 today.
The decision does not affect already active short-term rental properties, but it prohibits the registration of new properties after the measure comes into force. Airbnb did not immediately comment on the development.
Battle against the housing crisis
Florence, like other popular European destinations, has faced a major housing shortage in recent years, leading to rising rents and the displacement of permanent residents from central neighborhoods.
“The objective is clear: to continue our efforts to protect housing and ensure a sustainable balance between tourism and the daily lives of residents,” Florence Mayor Sara Funaro told Reuters.
She also called for an expedited procedure in order to prevent a wave of new property registrations before the ban takes effect. As she noted, “the data show that the phenomenon of short-term tourist rentals has increased significantly across the city.”
Continuation of the restriction policy
Continuation of the restriction policyThe new initiative follows a 2023 decision by Florence to ban new short-term residential rentals in its historic center. Despite the legal challenges that followed, the municipality succeeded in winning a series of rulings from the regional administrative court.
At the same time, the current protection framework for already operating tourist rental properties expires on May 31, 2028. After that date, the municipal administration plans to move forward with a gradual reduction in the number of short-term rentals.
The mayor stated that priority will be given to small local property owners who rent out a single apartment as supplementary income, rather than to large-scale professional operators.
Reactions from the market
Critics of the measure argue that the restrictions imposed so far have failed to bring permanent residents back to the historic center or significantly reduce rental prices.
“Despite these results, the municipality is now deciding to expand the bans to neighborhoods outside the city center, affecting citizens, small property owners, and businesses linked to hospitality,” said Lorenzo Fagnoni, president of Property Managers Italia and CEO of Apartments Florence.
According to him, the short-term rental market supports a broad network of professionals — from property management and cleaning companies to technicians, maintenance workers, and tourism professionals.
“The criminalization of entrepreneurial activity in tourism risks damaging an important part of the city’s economy,” he warned.
