Pedro Nuno Santos says there is unprecedented investment in housing

This Monday, the PS Secretary General said there was an “unprecedented” investment in housing which he said was countrywide, and held the PSD/CDS chief responsible for the delays in responding to existing ongoing challenges.

These positions were outlined by Pedro Nuno Santos in statements to journalists after visiting work on the construction of new houses in Anadia, a municipality in the district of Aveiro traditionally with a PSD majority or CDS – a project financed by the Recovery and Resilience Fund. Plan (PRR).

“We are participating in a project that is the result of cooperation between central and local administrations. This is an example of what we need to step up across the country, expanding the public housing stock to meet demand,” began the statement by the Socialist leader, who, as minister, oversaw the housing portfolio.

“By 2026, there will be 32 thousand houses here. Many have been delivered, many are under construction, others are in projects, including in SDP municipalities. We are talking about unprecedented investments in the history of our democracy,” he said.

From the point of view of Pedro Nuno Santos, since the PER (Special Resettlement Plan) in the 90s, which was limited in time and to the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto, there has not been a housing program of the size of the current one and which is intended for the entire country.

In addition to expanding the public housing stock, according to the former minister, the 1st Law Program involves the allocation of 1,600 million euros for 26 thousand houses.

“Following this is the restoration and reconstruction of public property with the aim of putting it on the market for affordable rentals. If this work had been initiated by the PSD/CDS government (2011/2015), the country would be better today. As if it should have been initiated by us, the inaugurations will take place later than we would like,” he explained.

Pedro Nuno Santos also criticized other governments, with the exception of the government of Pedro Passos Coelho.

“Unfortunately, for decades it was believed that the market would solve the housing problem, but this is not the case. [de António Costa] A path has been started that produces results, but obviously takes time. The worst thing that could happen is to stop this process that has begun. We cannot go back,” he added during an electoral rally in which he was accompanied by several PS parliamentary candidates from the Aveiro circle, such as Porfirio Silva, Claudia Cruz Santos and Filipe Neto Brandao.