This Wednesday, the Lisbon City Council approved by a majority vote a PS proposal defending the non-revocation of the city’s local occupancy restrictions, calling on the executive to discuss this guarantee with the government.
The proposal, approved by votes against the Novos Tempos coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Alliance) and in favor of the rest of the political forces, states that “access to housing is the biggest problem facing Lisbon” and that “The increase in demand for real estate has pushed property prices and rents beyond the reach of the middle class.”
“According to official data, approximately 8,200 local accommodation properties have not provided proof of existence within the legal period established for this purpose, without the Lisbon City Council initiating the corresponding preliminary hearings that will allow these registrations to be canceled, and therefore , convert these dwellings into housing,” says the petition, which Lusa’s agency had access to.
The signatories of the document emphasize that the lifting of local housing restrictions in some areas of the city of Lisbon could worsen problems with access to housing, and call on the municipal president Carlos Moedas (PSD) to negotiate with the government led by Social Democrat Luis Montenegro to maintain these measures .
“We are well aware that the SDS and SDP have always voted against any measures that restrict local housing, but Mr President, we ask you that with this proposal you put aside ideological rigidity and respond to the real problems of the people,” said Socialist MP Inez Drummond in document presentation time.
In this sense, the approved proposal calls on the government “in matters of housing in municipalities where a housing shortage has been declared, not to lift the current restrictions on local accommodation”, appointing the mayor of Lisbon as a mediator in the process. .
It is also expected that Carlos Moedas will negotiate with the government not to lift the current restrictions on golden visas and the regime for non-permanent residents “at the risk of pushing access to housing even further beyond the capabilities of families in the municipality of Lisbon.”
The government program (PSD-CDS/PP), presented to the Assembly of the Republic on April 10, includes the abolition of measures from the Mais Habitação program, including “penalties” for local placement.
The document states that the extraordinary contribution to this activity and the expiration of licenses before the Mais Habitação program will be canceled “with immediate effect.”
The 17-member executive body of the Lisbon Chamber includes the seven elected members of the Novos Tempos coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Alliance), who are the only ones entrusted with responsibilities and who rule without an absolute majority – three from PS, two from PCP, three from Cidadaãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), one from Livre and one from BE.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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