Italian village offers $1 homes to Americans disgruntled by election results
An Italian village has revamped a housing program to lure Americans to live there, but this time they’re after those who are upset by the results of the presidential election.
Ollolai, a village on the Italian island of Sardinia, is offering homes for as cheap as $1 to foreigners who move there.
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"Are you worned (sic) out by global politics?" the website states in all caps. "Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities? It’s time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia."
The website doesn’t specifically mention Americans, but Americans are the target audience, the town’s mayor told CNN.
"Of course, we can’t specifically mention the name of one US president who just got elected, but we all know that he’s the one from whom many Americans want to get away from now and leave the country," Ollolai Mayor Francesco Columbu said.
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"We have specifically created this website now to meet US post-elections relocation needs."
The ad touts the village’s "pristine nature, incredible cuisine" and being located in one of Earth’s so-called "Blues Zones."
"[It’s the] perfect destination to reconnect, recharge, and embrace a new way of life," the website says.
What are Blue Zones?
The term "blue zone" was first used in 2004 to describe centenarians in Sardinia, Italy, according to The New York Times. Researchers used the color blue to shade portions of a map of the island denoting where people lived longer than the average human. Researchers believe nutrition and lifestyle are factors in the "blue zone" phenomenon, but they also speculated it could be due to "the high rate of inbreeding" in the isolated regions.
Since then, the term "blue zones" has expanded to include several regions in the world where more people live to be 100 years old, though some researchers believe the theory is based on flawed data.
How does the $1 housing program work?
The village of Ollolai is offering the following types of reduced-cost housing:
- Free temporary lodging for certain digital nomads who are willing to teach classes or lecture about their profession
- Homes for one euro that are in need of renovations totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
- Move-in ready homes for up to 100,000 euros
Why is Ollolai offering $1 houses?
Ollolai is banking on Americans to move there and revive the declining village. The population has decreased from 2,250 to 1,150, according to CNN, and only a few babies are born each year.
How many Americans have bought houses in Ollolai?
Ollolai first started offering $1 homes in 2018, but since then, only 10 homes have sold for one euro.
The digital nomad program, designed specifically for Americans, has led to four Americans having temporary stays there.