Rome Advances Affordable Housing Strategy with EIB Support for Sustainable Urban Regeneration and Social Housing Finance

Rome Advances Affordable Housing Strategy with EIB Support for Sustainable Urban Regeneration and Social Housing Finance

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank and Roma Capitale have signed an advisory agreement to support the development of Rome’s Social Residential Housing Plan and help structure a future Affordable Housing Fund. The EIB will provide free technical assistance to the municipality, focusing on the legal, financial, governance and operational design of a public-private vehicle intended to increase the supply of homes with sustainable rents. The initiative targets households in the “grey area” of the housing market, including young people, students, workers away from home, single-income families and others who do not qualify for public housing but cannot afford private rents. The cooperation will also support project pipeline development, market sounding with potential investors, financial modelling, and analysis of regulatory, public accounting and State aid considerations. The agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between the EIB and Rome and aligns with EU priorities on affordable housing, social cohesion, sustainability, climate transition and urban regeneration.

(PRESS RELEASE) Luxembourg, 5-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank and Roma Capitale have signed an advisory agreement designed to support the development of the city’s Social Residential Housing Plan, known as ERS, and help expand access to affordable rental housing in Rome.

The agreement was signed at the Campidoglio by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri. Through the arrangement, the EIB will provide Roma Capitale with free technical assistance to help define and structure an Affordable Housing Fund aimed at increasing the availability of homes with sustainable rents.

The initiative is focused on families and individuals who fall within the so-called “grey area” of the housing market. These are households that do not qualify for public residential housing but still struggle to access private rental accommodation because of rising market costs. The planned fund is expected to support the acquisition, regeneration and construction of housing that can be offered at accessible rents, while also promoting sustainable urban regeneration projects.

The EIB’s advisory support will help Roma Capitale assess the objectives and limitations of its ERS Plan, define the governance model for the Affordable Housing Fund and identify the most effective role for public-private cooperation. The work will include detailed analysis of the regulatory and strategic framework, as well as technical, financial and legal structuring of the fund.

The advisory activity will also support the preparation of the plan’s operational stages. This includes defining a pipeline of potential projects and conducting market sounding with possible partners and investors. The aim is to create the conditions for a balanced, efficient and financially sustainable structure capable of attracting private-sector and institutional investment.

EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti said the agreement reflects the Bank’s commitment to helping European cities respond to one of today’s most urgent social challenges, access to housing. She noted that the EIB’s free technical assistance for public administrations provides specialised expertise to help Roma Capitale develop an innovative and sustainable affordable housing model that can attract investment and deliver concrete benefits for families and local communities, while supporting European Union priorities on social cohesion, sustainability and climate transition.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed the collaboration with the EIB, describing it as an important step towards the creation of a public-private financial vehicle for social housing. He said the instrument would support the acquisition, regeneration and construction of different forms of housing for the grey segment of the market. Gualtieri highlighted that Rome faces a significant ERS need, with an estimated segment of around 30,000 housing units that fall outside the scope of public residential housing. He added that the EIB’s experience will be valuable in shaping the legal form, governance, financial model and economic sustainability of the future structure.

Tobia Zevi, Councillor for Assets and Housing Policies at Roma Capitale, said the agreement represents a strategic step for the city’s housing policies and for the development of the Social Housing Agency. He said an Affordable Housing Fund would respond to the growing need to support people who cannot access public housing but are also priced out of the private rental market. This group includes young people seeking independence, students, workers living away from home, single-income families and employees facing pressure from rising rents and insufficient income levels.

The assignment will include financial modelling of different possible structures, including potential public contributions, guarantees or rental support tools where needed. This work is intended to ensure the economic sustainability and bankability of the initiative. The EIB’s advisory support will also examine public accounting and State aid implications. Strategic and operational decisions on social housing policies and investments will remain fully under the responsibility of the public authorities.

Roma Capitale has worked with the EIB for more than four decades. Since 1983, the Bank has supported major investments in the city, including the development of metro lines B1 and C, rolling stock renewal, public transport improvements and waste-sector projects. Overall, the EIB has provided around €1.7 billion in financing for Rome, helping mobilise more than €7 billion in total investment.

The new agreement opens a further stage of cooperation between the EIB and the Municipality of Rome, with a focus on affordable housing and sustainable urban renewal. The city’s housing plan aims to combine affordability with energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, in line with the goals of the European mission for climate-neutral cities, of which Rome is a member.

The initiative is also aligned with the EIB’s strategic priorities in the housing sector and contributes to the European Affordable Housing Plan, which includes plans to finance €6 billion in housing projects in 2026. Advisory services play an important role in helping public authorities prepare technically sound and financially robust projects, making them easier to implement and more attractive to investors.

EIB Group 

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. With regard to Italy, in 2025 the EIB Group signed 105 new financing agreements for a total of €12.3 billion. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank