Rome and EIB Join Forces for Social Residential Building Plan
Rome, Lazio, Italy – June 9, 2026 – Rome Capital has signed an advisory agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the development of a Social Residential Building (ERS) Plan. This collaboration aims to address the housing needs of a significant portion of the city’s population – those who do not qualify for public housing but cannot afford private market rents. The agreement was signed at the Campidoglio by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Rome’s Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri.
As explained in a statement, the EIB’s advisory activity, provided free of charge, will assist Rome Capital in defining and structuring an Affordable Housing Fund. The objective is to increase the supply of affordable housing for families facing difficulties in accessing the private rental market. The initiative seeks to identify a balanced, efficient, and sustainable financing structure, including through the involvement of the private sector and institutional investors.
EIB Advisory Objectives
The technical assistance will guide the Municipality in evaluating the ERS Plan’s objectives and constraints, defining the governance of the Affordable Housing Fund, and determining the optimal role of public-private partnerships. The advisory activity also includes an in-depth analysis of the regulatory and strategic context, the technical, financial, and legal structuring of the Fund, and support for preparing the operational phases of the plan. This includes defining a project pipeline and conducting a market sounding with potential partners and investors.
The mandate will also involve financial modeling of various available options, such as potential public contributions, guarantees, or rental support instruments if necessary. This is to ensure the economic sustainability and bankability of the initiative, as well as an analysis of the implications for public accounting and state aid. Strategic and operational choices related to social housing policies and investments remain entirely with the public decision-maker.
These activities are crucial for ensuring that projects are prepared with technical rigor and solid economic-financial foundations, thereby facilitating their implementation and ability to attract capital.
Mayor Gualtieri: “We have a very broad ERS need”
Thanking the EIB for its collaboration, Rome’s Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, stated that this agreement will enable the creation and establishment of a public-private financial vehicle for social housing. This vehicle will serve as a tool for the acquisition, regeneration, and construction of various types of housing for the ‘grey area’ of citizens.
Gualtieri affirmed, “We have a very broad ERS need, a segment of about 30,000 housing units that do not fall within the public housing scope. We will leverage these instruments and the EIB’s support for the design of the structure and its various aspects: legal form, governance, financial model, and economic-financial sustainability. Finding a balance between private and public components is very important, and the EIB has consolidated experience in this area. Therefore, availing ourselves of such high-level support represents an excellent opportunity for us.”
Vigliotti: “Committed to supporting European cities in addressing the housing challenge”
Gelsomina Vigliotti, EIB Vice-President, stated, “With this agreement, we confirm the EIB’s commitment to supporting European cities in addressing one of the most urgent social challenges: access to housing.”
She explained, “Through our technical assistance, which is free for Public Administrations, we provide specialized expertise to help Rome Capital develop an innovative and sustainable model of affordable housing. This model will be capable of attracting investments and generating a concrete impact for families and the territory, in line with the European Union’s priorities for social cohesion, sustainability, and climate transition.”
Zevi: “We must support those who cannot access public housing”
Tobia Zevi, Councillor for Heritage and Housing Policies, emphasized that “the agreement with the EIB represents a strategic step for Rome Capital’s housing policies and for the development of the Social Housing Agency.”
He further explained that “the prospect of building an Affordable Housing Fund responds to an increasingly evident need: to support the segment of citizens who do not qualify for public housing but – at the same time – can no longer afford the costs of the private market. We are talking about young people seeking independence, students and workers away from home, single-income families, and workers who are currently squeezed between insufficient incomes and ever-increasing rents. The collaboration with the EIB will allow us to design the technical and financial instruments necessary to expand the supply of affordable housing, attract new investments, and strengthen our policies to respond to the social and economic changes crossing the city.”
Source: idealista.it/news
