How this City’s Young People Are Fighting Back, One Derelict Home at a Time

In the midst of Venice’s lavish parties and art exhibitions, a more subtle battle is being waged by young people who call this city home. They’re not fighting against tourists or rising costs – although those are pressing issues. Instead, they’re reclaiming abandoned buildings and making them habitable again.

Federica Toninello, a 12-year Venetian resident, leads the grassroots movement with her fellow activists in the Assemblea Sociale per la Casa (ASC). They’ve been occupying derelict houses that have been locked off by the local government for decades. The reasons given are varied – lack of funds or preservation of architectural heritage – but one thing is clear: they’re being used as an excuse to keep low-income residents out.

Toninello points out that Venice’s economy has become increasingly dependent on tourism, which perpetuates a vicious cycle of gentrification and displacement. The city’s population has dwindled from 175,000 in the 1930s to less than 50,000 today – many of whom can no longer afford their own homes.

The contrast between Venice’s tourist-friendly facades and its neglected neighborhoods is stark. Empty buildings line quiet alleys and side streets, easily overlooked by tourists but significant for Toninello and her fellow activists. These derelict houses are potential homes for people who desperately need a place to live.

Vacant housing in Venice is tied to the city’s broader economic woes. As tourist numbers rise – 5.9 million stayed in 2024 alone – so too does pressure on local residents to adapt. The “Venice Access Fee” of €5 seems insignificant, but it’s just a small part of the real cost of living in this city.

Toninello’s movement is not just about occupying empty buildings; it’s also about challenging the status quo and demanding that the city take responsibility for its own residents. By restoring derelict houses and making them habitable, activists are pushing back against gentrification and over-tourism.

But as Venice becomes increasingly dependent on tourism, can this movement really make a difference? Or is it merely a symptom of a deeper problem – one that requires a fundamental shift in urban development and community engagement?

Toninello’s fight to reclaim abandoned buildings speaks to the heart of what it means to live in a place like Venice – where beauty and decay coexist. As I watched crowds streaming through St Mark’s Square, I wondered: who will be left behind when the tourists finally depart?