How many vacancies are there in Como and how can I search for a home?

In July 2025, 1,302 public accommodations were vacated in the province of Como: 611 owned by ALER and 691 by the Municipalities. To search for a home, you can directly contact ALER (regional building agency) or the municipalities where you wish to reside. The Lombardy Region has also promoted social housing programs aimed at workers and families who do not have access to public housing but struggle to support market prices. Contact the public housing offices in the municipalities of the province to learn about specific programs in your area.

I am a worker in the province of Como: should I work in Switzerland if housing costs are too high?

The source itself acknowledges that many workers, faced with high rents, choose the Swiss labour market. The decision depends on several factors: net salary (Swiss vs Italian), taxes (Switzerland has a different tax regime with tax at source), costs of living in the two countries, and for border workers, the new 2024 tax agreement and the possibility of refunds. Use a payroll calculator to concretely compare the two options, considering all withholdings.

What social housing programs are there for workers in Como?

Lombardy Region has promoted social housing interventions specifically aimed at workers and families who do not have the requirements for public construction but struggle to support private market prices. These programs include cooperatives, cooperative assets, and new regional resources. For specific details on the programmes in the province of Como, contact the municipalities of the province, ALER, or contact the trade unions (CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi, UIL del Lario) that actively follow the theme.

Will the Competitiveness Table concretely address the housing crisis?

Yes. CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi and UIL del Lario have officially proposed to bring home, work and territorial attractiveness to the Competitiveness Table. A new body is not created: an existing office is used that brings together trade unions, companies, institutions and subjects of the territory. The objective is to coordinate resources (ALER, Municipalities, cooperatives, third sector) to transform fragmented interventions into a coherent long-term strategy.

How do I find out about available ALER accommodations in the province of Como?

ALER (Lombardy Regional Building Agency) manages 611 of the 1,302 public housing vacancies in Como. Contact ALER directly to request the availability of accommodation in the municipality where you wish to reside and know the access requirements (income, family composition, etc.). The 691 municipalities in the province also manage vacant accommodation: contact the public residential building office of your municipality of interest to check local availability.

Home crisis in Como: 1,302 vacant homes, young people on the run (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 31 August 2026

Lake Como waterfront with residential buildings, representing the attractive but expensive housing market in Como province

In July 2025, the province of Como had 1,302 vacant public accommodations. Unions denounce: workers and young people do not find sustainable homes. Housing costs push some into the Swiss labour market.

Context

In brief

In July 2025: 1,302 vacant public housing units in the Province of Como
Companies are looking for over 4,100 workers but struggle to find them for one in two roles
Housing costs are pushing some toward the Swiss labor market

What: Housing crisis in the Province of Como with effects on the ability to attract workers
When: July 2025
Where: Province of Como, border area with Switzerland
Who: CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi, UIL del Lario, ALER, Municipalities
Vacant housing: 1,302 public housing units (611 owned by ALER, 691 by the Municipalities)
Planned hires: 4,100+ entries in July, 11,800 in the July-September quarter
Recruitment difficulties: for one in two roles, according to Excelsior UnionCamere

In July 2025, the Province of Como counted 1,302 vacant public housing units: 611 owned by ALER and 691 by the Municipalities. A scenario that the unions consider emblematic of a housing crisis that no longer concerns only those experiencing fragility, but also workers, young people, and families with ordinary incomes. CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi, and UIL del Lario have decided to bring the issue of housing to the Provincial Competitiveness Table, recognizing that the cost of living is now a decisive issue for the territorial future.

The paradox is evident in the labor market figures. In July 2025, companies in the Como area planned over 4,100 new entries and almost 11,800 in the July-September quarter. Yet, according to Excelsior UnionCamere, for one in two roles companies expect recruitment difficulties. The question that emerges is urgent: can we discuss the shortage of workers without asking ourselves whether those workers can afford to live here? How is it possible that the area is looking for personnel and at the same time fails to offer affordable housing conditions?

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Operational details

The phenomenon of the exodus towards Switzerland

The province of Como is a border territory. In this geographical context, faced with such high housing costs, some people can look towards the Swiss labour market. It is a rational choice: sustaining ever-higher rents is, for many, well worth working abroad. The regional unions do not say it directly, but the message is clear in their statement: if you do not concretely tackle the housing crisis, do not even try to retain the workers you manage to find.

The issue concerns both those already residing in Como and those considering a move for work. There are young people deciding whether to stay or leave, those weighing geographical mobility, those who must choose whether to take part in a competition for essential public services. A rent that absorbs 40%, 50% or more of net income makes living in Italy progressively less convenient compared to a Swiss salary, even taking into account the different tax conditions and the cost of living in the two countries. The province thus loses human capital, skills, and energy. Discover job opportunities in the province.

Public and private workers, and territorial competitiveness

Initiatives in the meantime have not been lacking. Regione Lombardia, municipalities, ALER, cooperatives, the Prefecture, economic organisations and the Third Sector have promoted interventions and projects. But the crux, according to the unions, is to turn these resources into a coherent strategy. Governance is needed that can align different resources in the same direction, create critical mass, and move from responding to today's needs to planning for the coming years.

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Key points

Resources already available: ALER, Municipalities and social housing

The province is not starting from scratch in its attempt to solve the crisis. As of July 2025, 1,302 public housing units were already available for recovery: 611 owned by ALER and 691 by the Municipalities. On top of these, there is cooperative housing stock, social housing programmes and new resources made available by Regione Lombardia. These latest regional social housing initiatives aim to provide a response precisely for that segment of workers and families who do not meet the requirements for public housing but struggle to keep up with market prices.

To search for a home in Como through ALER, you can contact the agency directly to find out about housing availability in the municipality where you wish to live. The Municipalities of the province directly manage 691 housing units: get in touch with the public residential housing office of the Municipality you are interested in. Regione Lombardia has also promoted social housing interventions specifically targeted at this segment of the population.

CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi and UIL del Lario propose bringing housing, employment and territorial attractiveness to the Provincial Competitiveness Table. What is being asked is not a new table, but the use of an existing one, specifically set up to bring together trade unions, businesses, institutions and local stakeholders. This body should build consensus among different interests on strategic choices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many vacancies are there in Como and how can I search for a home?: In July 2025, 1,302 public accommodations were vacated in the province of Como: 611 owned by ALER and 691 by the Municipalities. To search for a home, you can directly contact ALER (regional building agency) or the municipalities where you wish to reside. The Lombardy Region has also promoted social housing programs aimed at workers and families who do not have access to public housing but struggle to support market prices. Contact the public housing offices in the municipalities of the province
I am a worker in the province of Como: should I work in Switzerland if housing costs are too high?: The source itself acknowledges that many workers, faced with high rents, choose the Swiss labour market. The decision depends on several factors: net salary (Swiss vs Italian), taxes (Switzerland has a different tax regime with tax at source), costs of living in the two countries, and for border workers, the new 2024 tax agreement and the possibility of refunds. Use a payroll calculator to concretely compare the two options, considering all withholdings.
What social housing programs are there for workers in Como?: Lombardy Region has promoted social housing interventions specifically aimed at workers and families who do not have the requirements for public construction but struggle to support private market prices. These programs include cooperatives, cooperative assets, and new regional resources. For specific details on the programmes in the province of Como, contact the municipalities of the province, ALER, or contact the trade unions (CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi, UIL del Lario) that actively follow the
Will the Competitiveness Table concretely address the housing crisis?: Yes. CGIL Como, CISL dei Laghi and UIL del Lario have officially proposed to bring home, work and territorial attractiveness to the Competitiveness Table. A new body is not created: an existing office is used that brings together trade unions, companies, institutions and subjects of the territory. The objective is to coordinate resources (ALER, Municipalities, cooperatives, third sector) to transform fragmented interventions into a coherent long-term strategy.
How do I find out about available ALER accommodations in the province of Como?: ALER (Lombardy Regional Building Agency) manages 611 of the 1,302 public housing vacancies in Como. Contact ALER directly to request the availability of accommodation in the municipality where you wish to reside and know the access requirements (income, family composition, etc.). The 691 municipalities in the province also manage vacant accommodation: contact the public residential building office of your municipality of interest to check local availability.