The municipality of Florence has banned new short-term tourist rentals beyond its historic centre to address local housing shortages [1].
This policy shift represents a significant effort to decouple the city's residential market from the tourism industry. By limiting the growth of platforms like Airbnb, officials aim to return housing stock to permanent residents and stabilize rent prices in neighborhoods that were previously unaffected by central district regulations [3].
The new regulations expand the restricted area where such rentals are prohibited, tripling the previous zone [1]. While the UNESCO-listed historic centre had already seen curbs on tourist lets, the city is now extending these prohibitions into surrounding residential areas [2].
Local officials said the expansion is necessary to balance the city's status as a global tourist destination with the needs of its citizens [3]. The surge in short-term rentals has historically pushed long-term tenants out of the city core—a trend that has begun migrating into the outer districts [2].
By freezing the creation of new tourist lets in these expanded zones, the municipality intends to ease the pressure on the available housing supply [3]. This move follows a broader trend among European cities attempting to reclaim residential neighborhoods from the influence of the sharing economy [2].
The city government said the measures are designed to protect the social fabric of Florence by ensuring that residents can afford to live within the city limits [3].
“The restricted area for new short-term rentals was tripled”
This expansion signals a shift from targeted preservation of historic monuments to a broader urban planning strategy focused on residential stability. By tripling the restricted zone, Florence is acknowledging that the 'touristification' of the city is no longer confined to the UNESCO center but is actively displacing residents in suburban and outer-ring neighborhoods.
