In a bid to reverse decades of depopulation, the picturesque village of Ollolai on the Italian island of Sardinia is offering dilapidated homes for as little as one euro ($1.05), with Americans unsettled by Donald Trump’s re-election among the primary targets for relocation.
The initiative, announced on Tuesday, is part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the village, which has seen its population shrink from 2,250 a century ago to just 1,150 today. The town has launched a dedicated website aimed at attracting American expats, urging them to “embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities” in Sardinia’s tranquil paradise.
“We just really want, and will focus on, Americans above all,” said Mayor Francesco Columbu, explaining that U.S. citizens are seen as critical to breathing new life into the village.
The program offers three accommodation tiers: Free temporary housing for select digital nomads.
• One-euro homes requiring renovations.
• Move-in-ready properties priced up to €100,000 (approximately $105,000).
The mayor assured that prospective buyers would receive extensive support, including private property tours, assistance with renovation contractors, and guidance on legal paperwork.
“Of course, we can’t specifically mention the name of one U.S. president who just got elected, but we all know he’s the reason many Americans are considering leaving the country,” Columbu quipped, referring to the political unrest following Trump’s re-election.
The initiative has already sparked significant interest, with the website receiving over 38,000 inquiries, primarily from the United States.
In addition to attracting Americans, Ollolai aims to draw digital nomads, offering free temporary housing to those who meet certain criteria. However, the strong preference for American applicants has raised eyebrows, with some questioning the exclusion of other nationalities.
With only a few births recorded each year, Ollolai hopes the program will help reverse its demographic decline. “We are determined to bring our village back to life,” Columbu added.
This isn’t the first time an Italian village has launched a €1 home initiative, but Ollolai’s focus on U.S. residents escaping political turmoil adds a unique twist to the growing trend.
