The Government presents, this Thursday, the measures of the May package
s Housing, which aims to combat the housing crisis. The Minister of Housing, Mariana Gonçalves, explained that the first pillar of the housing package aims to stimulate new private projects of affordable rent, with four areas of intervention, such as the transfer of vacant properties from the State and fixed rents in these projects.
“The first objective is to stimulate new private projects with affordable leasing, with the promoters as partners”, said Mariana Gonçalves, highlighting a “subsidized, sustainable financing line”, “predictability in the income of these projects” and “tax incentives”. The minister also highlighted “the ability to give confidence to the rental market”, as well as the tax reduction in leasing taxation.
Mariana Gonçalves also announced that Porta 65+ will be created to respond “to situations of drop in income”, as well as measures to protect tenants with older contracts.
The Government mentions that in order to combat speculation, there will be a “Fair Income” measure and a change from Resale from 3 years to 1. The Government will also reduce tax subsidies related to resale.
The package of measures proposed by the Government has an estimated cost of 900 million euros and proposes to respond to the housing crisis with five axes: protecting families, increasing the supply of properties used for housing purposes, simplifying licensing processes, increasing number of houses on the rental market and fight speculation.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had already criticized the program, stating that the Government’s plan was “unfeasible”.
Owners and workers of Local Accommodation are in protest across the country, this Thursday, against the Government program.
