Genoa invests in youth and families: launch of distributed student housing and social housing at subsidized rents

S.P.Im. S.p.A., a company wholly owned by the Municipality of Genoa and responsible for the disposal and enhancement of municipal assets, has published a public notice to identify a qualified economic operator interested in the development and management of a distributed student housing project in Genoa.

The initiative involves the renovation and operation of 60 apartments spread across the municipal territory. This project is part of the city’s policies aimed at attracting investment and urban regeneration, and seeks to address the housing needs of off-site students, which are currently met at only 8%, by offering accommodation at subsidised rents.

The successful bidder will lease the properties, carry out the renovation works, and allocate them—through subletting or other suitable arrangements—to students enrolled at the University of Genoa or other universities and institutions in the city, as well as to PhD candidates, researchers, staff of the Italian Institute of Technology, visiting professors, Erasmus students, and individuals working in schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, or private companies affiliated with the University. The award will be granted to a single operator or consortium, with no possibility of partial allocations.

The agreement will be governed by a private-law lease contract lasting 7 years plus 7 years, with the lessor committed not to withdraw at the end of the first period.

The contract will be signed within 15 days of the award notification via certified email (PEC). At the end of the total 14-year period, unless otherwise agreed, the properties must be returned to S.P.Im. S.p.A. free of people and belongings, in the condition resulting from normal wear and tear, taking into account the renovation works carried out.

No additional compensation is provided for the works performed, also considering the renovation contribution granted by S.P.Im. S.p.A. The costs for contract execution and registration will be shared equally. Failure to comply with obligations will result in the revocation of the award.

In return for these investments, S.P.Im. S.p.A. will grant a significant incentive: a lump-sum reimbursement contribution of up to a maximum of 18 monthly payments, to be directly deducted from the rent. To ensure affordability, sublease agreements for students must strictly comply with the parameters of the Territorial Agreement for the Municipality of Genoa, with controlled rents and allocation criteria also based on the ISEE indicator.

Applications may be submitted individually or in association by 16:30 on 25 May at the following address: https://spimgenova.it/progetto/studentato-diffuso/, using the forms available on the official S.P.Im. S.p.A. website, and delivered in a sealed envelope to the headquarters at Via di Francia 1, Genoa. The offer will remain valid for 180 days from the submission deadline.

Eligible participants include public entities and bodies supporting the right to education, third sector organisations, companies, associations, and cooperatives with statutory purposes compatible with student housing, with at least one year of experience in the sector, adequate financial solidity (turnover of no less than one million euros over the last three years), compliance with general requirements, and no prior defaults towards S.P.Im. S.p.A. or the Municipality of Genoa.

In parallel, S.P.Im. S.p.A. has published three additional calls for tenders, open until 18 May 2026, for the rental of fully renovated Social Housing apartments in street Enrico Porro, with moderate rents starting from 350€. These initiatives are aimed at single-parent or large families, workers, young couples under 35, individuals, students, PhD candidates and researchers under 35, as well as people over 65, who will be included in ranking lists for housing allocation.

Overall, these interventions represent a concrete opportunity for investors and operators specialised in social and student housing, and a strategic contribution to the social and economic regeneration of the city, with the aim of making Genoa more attractive for young people and reversing the demographic trend of Italy’s oldest city.

Written by: Alessia Malfatto and Irene Bellotto