Students Living in Milan
The project (StudMiHome) funded under the Polisocial Award 2023, investigates the housing conditions of students in the rental market in Milan and aims to develop an integrated housing orientation service.
During the past few years, Milan has emerged as a particularly attractive city in the global system of tertiary education, as well as a university hub in the national context. This process caused a strong inflow of students from other provinces, regions and states, which had a significant impact on the internal organization of the universities in the city and laid the conditions for a redefinition of their role as local attractors and city players. Students, like other social groups, face many difficulties in accessing the rental market, during their stay in the city. This is related to the affordability of available housing on the rental market, but also to dimensions associated with the infrastructural quality of housing, the legal dimension of tenure and the incidence of black or unregistered and irregular rentals, the relationships with landlords and housing agencies which are sometimes difficult, the dynamics of shared living, and the interaction between the right-to-study system, international mobility, and the housing system. The great variability in the available accommodation solutions, both in terms of cost and of quality, can generate-or deepen-inequalities among students. Early research and dissemination activities have identified multiple stress factors that foreshadow the risk of a reduction in the real fulfillment of the right-to-study, with potential repercussions on the Italian low tertiary schooling rate.
Investigation methods used in the research part of the project include: semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders (Polytechnic bureaus, property associations, tenants’ unions, third-sector housing providers), semi-structured interviews with Polytechnic students (Italian and international), a survey targeting students from most of the universities based in Milan, a survey targeting small landlords operating in Milan, a survey targeting real estate agencies operating in Milan, an analysis of available data on the student population to geo-reference the phenomenon, an ongoing press review, a series of co-design workshops and events with Italian and international students, desk analysis of relevant policies in the national and European context and of the activities of other national and international universities.
The project involves building a pilot service for a potential integrated housing orientation service by the Polytechnic of Milan, with a participatory process of tool co-construction together with students, institutional actors and market players. The orientation desk takes place on a bi-monthly basis at OffCampus NoLo, which is located in a neighborhood also characterized by a strong student presence. This service aims to offer primary legal and contractual counseling services, as well as to produce a series of guidelines that can foster the establishment of good practices in the housing market. The desk is meant to offer a service to all Polytechnic students, and can also be contacted directly by email or through the project social network page.
Funding period: 09/10/2023 – 09/01/2025
Principal Investigator: Giuliana Costa (Dastu)
Research team and departments involved: Valeria Fedeli, Fabio Manfredini, Andrea Parma, Guya Bertelli, Viviana Lucia Giavarini, Tommaso Frangioni (Dastu); Daniela Sangiorgi, Nicole Sacchetti (Design); Marzia Morena, Alice Paola Pomé (Dabc).
Funded by: Polisocial Award 2023
Partners: Fondazione DAR Cesare Scarponi (Sara Travaglini), Fondazione Housing Sociale (Giordana Ferri), Fondazione Housing Sociale (Simonetta Venosta), La Cordata SCS (Libero Albrizio), La Cordata SCS (Valeria Inguaggiato), Ass. Agenti Immobiliari Riuniti – Collegio Provinciale di Milano (Andrea Sini), Meglio Milano (Monica Bergamasco), progetto Prendi In Casa, Fuori Luoghi SCS (Matteo Avvalli, Nadia Cattaneo), SUNIA Milano e Federconsumatori Milano (Carmelo Benenti), Auser Laboratorio Casa (Gabriele Danesi), Confabitare Milano (Daniele Giusto), Unione Degli Universitari Milano (Marta Andreoletti), Unione Degli Universitari Nazionale (Simone Agutoli).
Website: https://www.studentslivinginmilan.polimi.it/#
Non-academic publications:
Pratiche nel mercato privato della casa, un oggetto per le politiche?