Housing availability has plummeted while housing costs have skyrocketed for residents of Florence, Italy, in the wake of popularity for shorter rentals via platforms like Airbnb.

The housing shortage leaves lower income Italians and students particularly hard pressed to find affordable housing.  In the absence of action by the central government, the city of Florence has taken matters into its own hands, banning new short-term residential leases on sites like Airbnb. Other cities around the world have faced similar problems.

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