At first glance, the village of Albinen appears to be one of those utopian places in the Swiss Alps that you only read about in William Tell. It is located in the German-speaking part of the canton of Valais – in south-western Switzerland – and in the immediate vicinity of the Leukerbad thermal spa. On a sunny mountainside at 1300 meters above sea level, it offers a spectacular view of the lower Rhône valley and the surrounding mountains. What’s more, the entire village consists of traditional mountain farmhouses surrounding a modern church.
But not everything is as it seems in this paradisiacal scenario. Over the years, the population has steadily dwindled as young people migrate in search of work. In fact, so many families left the village that the village school had to be closed in 2017. On top of this, many of the old houses have been converted into vacation apartments in recent years and are empty out of season.
Nevertheless, the local council openly recognized the problem in 2018 and developed a project to change this dynamic. Following the presentation, it was approved by a large majority of the village’s residents (by vote).
Substantial financial support for new arrivals
The municipal council put it in a nutshell in its written initiative: “With young people moving away, life in the village is also being called into question for the older residents.” The main aim was therefore to attract young people and families. But the Albinians quickly recognized the main problem with moving in: the economic difficulties. And so this community initiative was born.
As decided and approved by the municipality, the village pays a one-off housing subsidy of 25,000 francs (23,000 euros) for individuals, 50,000 francs (47,000 euros) for couples, plus 10,000 francs (9500 euros) for each child, to those wishing to build or buy. In addition, the contribution for individuals increases by 25,000 francs if a couple’s household is formed within 10 years of moving in.
However, there are a number of conditions that new arrivals must fulfill in order to receive this financial support. First and foremost, the newly purchased or built house must be the place of residence for at least ten years. Anyone who moves away before the end of this period must repay the money in full. Similarly, only people under the age of 45 and with a type C Swiss residence permit can apply.
Despite this very specific list of requirements, the municipality was bombarded with requests from all over the world, many of which were not eligible to apply. It was therefore decided to publish the initiative and its legal framework in full on the village’s website.
There is still little work in Albinen itself today, but the cantonal capital of Sion and the industrial hub of Visp can be reached by car in 35 minutes. And the internet connection is not bad at all. It could be a great place to work from home.
Adapted from an article written by Max Hailer for Secret Munich.