150 of These

NEW YORK--(Italy Watch)--Beginning in December the Italian government will issue 150 EUR ($213) to each povero. Within the context of the program, a povero is someone who takes home less than 7,500 EUR($10,664) a year, therefore accounting for 13% of Italy. 150 EUR will be distributed a testa -- per head, so a family of four would receive 600 EUR ($853) a year.

The initiative, which will cost the Italian government 2 billion EUR, also plans to provide rent vouchers for renters earning less than 15,493.71 EUR ($22,030) a year, granting the renters an annual rent detraction of 300 EUR ($426.50).

To quell Italy's housing problem, in Italy known as gli sfratti -- the evicted, la Finanziaria plans to invest 550 million EUR over the short-term in low-income housing.