In several Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Pavia, Padova and Perugia, students have been sleeping in tents in front of universities for days. They are demonstrating against the high prices for student accommodation and the lack of dormitories. The tenor was that it was impossible to find affordable rooms, especially in big cities.
“Finding an apartment in Rome has become a difficult undertaking as the apartments available are very expensive. The funds provided by the regions as student grants are only temporary and poor solutions. The amounts invested in student residences are still too small. The situation has now become untenable,” said Leone Piva, coordinator of the Sinistra Universitaria student association.
For many students, an apartment in Rome is a privilege that only a few can afford. “Many students from poor families are forced to work in precarious conditions to pay for rent. We think the government should invest in student housing,” Piva said.
