Rome City Council Seeks Italian Families To Host Migrants Free Of Charge Amid Inclusion Drive

Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,

The city of Rome has launched a call for proposals to find families willing to host migrants with valid residence permits in their homes for the next three years.

The tender, valued at €399,000 and open until Sept. 22, seeks an operator to manage the program on behalf of the municipality.

The initiative, announced by the city council, is aimed at “single migrants or single-parent families” who would be welcomed into private homes.

The chosen operator will be responsible for raising awareness, recruiting, and supporting host families, mentors, or social workers, as well as identifying suitable beneficiaries.

The program’s objectives go beyond temporary accommodation.

Over its 36-month duration, it is designed to foster integration, promote independence through employment opportunities, and ultimately guide participants toward securing their own housing.

Officials say the service is intended to provide “a welcoming environment geared toward inclusion and autonomy,” helping young adults in particular to gain independence.

But a key detail in the tender notes that families who host migrants will not receive financial compensation. The city’s Department of Social Policies clarified that “social inclusion expenditures refer exclusively to interventions and measures aimed at service beneficiaries,” meaning migrants themselves. “It follows that reimbursements to families cannot be attributed to this item or to any other type of expenditure and are therefore not eligible,” the department stated.

In practical terms, families who open their doors will have to cover all costs themselves, including food and energy.

While the city insists the program is about solidarity and innovative social inclusion, observers warn that the lack of material support may make it difficult to attract enough host families willing to take part.

Read more here…