BE wants left majority to ‘turn the page’ on housing policy

On Tuesday, the BE co-ordinator asked the left-wing majority to “turn the page” on housing policy, advocating measures such as rent caps or protecting cultural heritage in city centres.

“We need to turn the page, we need a housing policy, a way of occupying and thinking about territory that is completely different from what we have now. Turning the page means a different housing policy, not only in the face of what was done right, but also in the light of what the absolute majority of PS members did,” said Mariana Mortagua.

The bloc leader spoke to journalists at the Academy of Music in Chiado, Lisbon, which is in danger of being expelled from its premises, where it has been located since 1957, as its income will increase from 542 to 3,728 euros.

Mariana Mortagua believed it was necessary to “protect cities from speculative rents”, namely by setting rent caps based on income, as well as limiting local occupancy and creating a “protection regime for the small cultural heritage” that remains in city centers.

“More public buildings that still exist need to be used so they can remain in city centres. Nobody understands that schools that were important yesterday, such as Escola Superior de Teatro, de Música, have been moved to other peripheral areas. cities and then the buildings are sold to create hotels,” he criticized.

Mariana Mortagua stated that situations like the one the Academy of Music is experiencing began in 2012 with the so-called “Cristas Law”, approved by the PSD/SDS government, but continued due to the PS, given that “there are responsibilities that are divided.”

Asked whether BE shares responsibility in this matter, given that there was a “cunning” after the PSD and CDS government, Mariana Mortagua replied that “BE has always been on the side of measures to reduce prices.” homes,” saying he always wanted to end golden visas, the non-permanent resident regime and the Christas Law.

“The housing crisis is the fault of those responsible, and the voices of those responsible are always recorded. (…) It is this page that we want to turn, and it is in order to turn this page that we want a majority and commitment,” he said. .

Asked if she saw in the PS a desire to turn the page, Mariana Mortagua said that “it is the strength of the elections that will determine how the page is turned”, but added that a majority of the left is needed “because Portugal cannot cope with the growing speculation on real estate market, cannot cope with the continued rise in housing prices.”

“Cities cannot be just tourism, they are also housing, they are also culture. And it is necessary to protect cities from the unbridled expansion of tourism, hotels, local accommodation,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, the President of the Administrative Council of the Academy of Music, Pedro Martins Barata, said that the increase in rent to 3,728 represents an annual increase in costs of about 30 thousand euros, which is “absolutely unsustainable” and will force the academy, created in 1884, to leave its premises.

Martins Barata explained that the academy had reached an agreement with the owner allowing it to remain on site until August 2025 and was now looking with the city council for a new building in the center of Lisbon, but stressed the loss of heritage that leaving the premises represents.

Fernando Lopez-Graça was the director of the choir at the academy here and was an almost constant composer for 20 years. Most of the resistance to the regime before April 25 was here. Jose Saramago was president of our general assembly, Alexander O’Neal sang in the choir. (…) That’s all that will disappear,” he said.