According to Mussomeli's deputy mayor, who helped launch the initiative in 2017, it sparked a total revitalization of the once-underpopulated town, attracting tourists, remote workers, and investment to the area.
Toti Nigrelli told Business Insider in a documentary that before the program's implementation, Mussomeli faced major depopulation issues.
He said that after World War II, the population gradually dwindled from 25,000 to about 10,000 as residents migrated to the US and other European countries in search of better opportunities.
As they emigrated, they left behind a trail of empty houses, particularly in Mussomeli's Old Town.
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This left enough houses to accommodate around 40,000 people, Nigrelli said, but there weren't nearly enough residents to fill them.
To accommodate this newfound community, Mussomeli set up its own co-working space.
The town'srecent growth has also attracted substantial investment — tens of millions of euros — from the European Union and the Italian Government, Nigrelli said.
These funds are earmarked for new roads and the remodeling of the Old Town's central square, he told BI.
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"Everyone is happy here," Nigrelli added. "Happy because we have nice people that came here, who are integrated in the society."
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