Lisbon: Ciy Council to Provide 100 Homes in Historic Centre

29 December 2017

The Lisbon City Council will provide 100 municipal dwellings in the historic centre of the city, through a process aimed at families which are vulnerable to a loss of housing, to prevent them having to leave the area.

Referring to the “extraordinary situation in the historic centre regarding the demand by the tourism sector and the rental law,” the municipality’s councillor for Housing and Local Development pointed out that “change is occurring in the social fabric due to the migration of many long-term residents.”

To counter this, the Lisbon City Council will launch a process “aimed at the population that is in a situation of a proven loss of housing, with no alternative”, a population that is “more vulnerable in age and income,” Paula Marques stated to the Lusa news agency.

Thus, the municipality will “put municipal housing assets at the disposal of the population,” namely “100 homes, 50% of which are already in construction, and the remainder of which began works at the end of the year,” the councillor stated.

According to Ms Marques, the municipality launched “10 rehabilitation projects in the historic centre, which include 40 homes.”

The measure, which will allow the municipality to “have one more housing instrument”, will cover the four parishes of the capital’s historic centre: Santa Maria Maior, São Vicente, Misericórdia and Santo António.

“The process will be launched upon the approval of the proposal at a Council meeting,” Paula Marques stated, adding that she intends to present the document at the first meeting of the year, due to take place in the first week of January.

Priority to be given to people who already live in historic neighbourhoods

“People who already live in these four parishes, who are in a situation of loss of housing and also in a situation of more vulnerable incomes,” the councillor said, noting that any “approved rules” will be used for other, future initiatives.

The City Council aims to make the “application process as fast, easy and transparent as possible” so that families can occupy municipal housing quickly.

“This initiative is a response to the needs of the population. It makes sense to use targeted public heritage in this exceptional and transient situation,” said Paula Marques, pointing out that the measure intends to eliminate the “current imbalances.”

Nevertheless, the councillor stressed the need to put into practice “basic, structural measures” regarding the impact of tourism in the city, which should be legislated by the National Assembly.

In the case of local tourist accommodations, the Lisbon City Council has already argued on several occasions that municipalities should have the power to create quotas for new units in the cities.

Original Story: Lusa / Diário Imobiliário

Translation: Richard Turner