In recent months, the situation regarding vacant homes around the Lake Garda has reached alarming levels, leading to the emergence of genuine “ghost towns.” According to a recent report, 43% of the housing in the area is unoccupied, with peaks of 55% in Sirmione and 61% in Manerba. The Area Plan of Ambito 11 Garda has found that out of 101,173 registered homes, only 57% are actually inhabited, while a staggering 43,461 are reported as vacant. The statistics highlight critical situations in various municipalities: Desenzano has 5,759 vacant homes out of a total of 19,349, Moniga has 52% of its units uninhabited, and Padenghe records over 50%.
In response to this housing emergency, over 200 signatures have been collected against touristification, initiated by the Gardesano Collective and the Garda Environmental Table. A petition is currently underway to limit vacation rentals and protect the right to housing, calling for changes to short-term rental regulations and a halt to the construction of new tourist facilities in already saturated areas. Various testimonies reveal how long-time residents have been forced to leave their homes due to increasing tourist pressure; for instance, an elderly woman from Capolaterra has to vacate her residence due to the conversion of apartments into short-term rentals.
