Self-renovation in Rome: ex ante, in itinere and ex post evaluation

In Europe, self-construction/self-renovation are innovative and additional tools to meet the needs of a part of “disadvantaged” social groups that can not buy or rent dwelling at market prices. At the end of the 90 s of the twentieth century, the Municipality of Rome has set the first trial at the national level (still not completed and remained almost unique) related to disused building self-renovation (especially school buildings). The text shows the results of a research, still ongoing, aimed at ex post evaluation of items that have prevented to conclude timely and as provided such interventions and, consequently, doesn’t meet the housing needs for which had been started. This allows to highlight as the assessment tools, in the different phases of the development process of these initiatives, ex ante, ongoing and ex post may help to reduce the risks of “failure” of self-construction/self- renovation initiatives.