Seventy kilometers from Rome, perched on the Lepini Mountains, a village of a few thousand inhabitants is trying to reverse the trend of depopulation with the formula that in recent years has brought dozens of Italian historic centers back into the spotlight, namely one-euro houses. The Municipality of Norma, in the province of Latina, started the project and named it “Discover Norma”, linking the building recovery to the tourism promotion of the town. The announcement came from the mayor Andrea Dell’Omo, who explained how the administration has already completed an initial survey of the abandoned or derelict properties in the historic center and approved the necessary documents to start the initiative. The reference model is that of Maenza, another Lepine village in the province of Latina which has experimented with the same formula in recent years, earning the attention of the international press.
The mayor’s announcement
These are the words of the mayor in a Facebook post dated 31 May 2026:
After having completed an initial survey of the abandoned or derelict properties in the historic center, we launch the “One Euro Houses” project, an initiative that aims to recover the existing building heritage and give new life to important parts of our country. In recent weeks we met the engineer Fabio Di Girolamo, former councilor of the Municipality of Maenza, where this project was started with significant results. His experience will be a precious support for the path we are building in Norma. The objective is to encourage the recovery of currently unused homes, combat abandonment and promote urban regeneration that respects the identity of our historic centre. At the same time, the project represents an opportunity to make Norma known to a wider audience, enhancing its history, landscape and quality of life. This is why we chose to accompany it with the name “Discover Norma”. In recent weeks we have approved the documents necessary for the launch of the initiative. Soon, all the forms and useful documentation for citizens and interested parties will be available on the institutional website of the Municipality, follow the page of the Municipality of Norma – LT for updates.
The mechanism, as in all similar experiences, has little to do with a zero-cost deal. The euro is the symbolic price of the deed of sale, the buyer is responsible for the notary fees, the registration, the cadastral transfers and above all the renovation, to be carried out within the times established by the municipal regulation. Anyone intending to purchase a property will have to present a credible recovery project and undertake to respect the deadlines for the works.
For now, neither the notice for buyers nor the list of available properties have yet been published on the Municipality’s portal. The forms and documentation, the mayor assured, will arrive shortly on the institutional website.
