Finnish family stays in Luumäki after year-long free housing for social media promotion

A Finnish family that moved to the rural municipality of Luumäki in 2021 as part of a social media campaign offering a year of free housing has chosen to remain permanently, reporting strong community integration and unexpected job opportunities, according to a Yle report.

Laura Kiretti and Sami Sivonen, along with their son Hugo, relocated from Pirkanmaa after seeing a Yle news segment about Luumäki’s initiative to attract residents through social media exposure. The municipality, neighboring Lappeenranta in South Karelia, provided rent-free housing for a year in exchange for regular posts about daily life in the area.

The family adjusted quickly, forming close friendships within weeks—something they had not experienced in five years in Pirkanmaa. Locals welcomed them with offers of help, invitations to village associations, and casual social interactions. “People here genuinely want to be part of each other’s lives,” Sami Sivonen said. Their son Hugo, now in fourth grade, also preferred Luumäki for its smaller scale and proximity to amenities.

Both parents secured employment effortlessly. Kiretti, a former daycare worker, received a job offer during a call to enroll Hugo in local daycare. Sivonen, whose relatives owned a cottage in the area, found work through local connections. The family jokingly speculated whether the municipality had secretly instructed residents to be especially welcoming but concluded the warmth was authentic.

The experiment was part of broader efforts by Finnish rural municipalities to counter depopulation. While short-term “trial living” programs—typically lasting a week—have grown popular, Luumäki’s year-long, social media-linked model remains rare, according to Johanna Niilivuo of Suomen Kylät ry. She noted that such initiatives help lower the barrier for urban residents considering a move but emphasized that affordable, flexible housing options—like tiny homes and communal living—are needed to sustain long-term relocation.

The family credited the social media requirement with pushing them to engage deeply with the community, expanding their social circle beyond expectations.

Tags: rural depopulation, social media, Finland