Porta a Porta and Vida Justa criticize the government for treating housing “like a commodity”

The Porta a Porta and Vida Justa movements believe that the housing strategy announced by the new government treats the issue “as a commodity” and emphasize that intensification of construction will not solve the crisis.

In a statement, Porta a Porta, a movement for the right to housing, said the Housing Strategy announced by the government (PSD-CDS/PP) on Friday shows a “lack of structural measures” to resolve the crisis in the sector.

From the movement’s perspective, the executive branch views “housing as a commodity aimed at making a profit rather than solving the problems we face.”

The government “appears to have no […] with the intention of solving the housing problem, but primarily responding to the interests of the construction and real estate sector,” agrees Vida Justa, a movement that opposes rising housing and transport prices and demands higher wages.

“The government’s program does not respond to the majority of the working class, who in our country have a salary of less than a thousand euros, but rather to the social sectors who have more money and can buy a house and have tax incentives for this,” explains Rita Silva on behalf of Vida Justa in a written response Luse.

“For access to housing to be effective, the market must be strictly regulated, adjusted to income from work in Portugal and an end to foreign investment in housing,” the movement argues.

Porta a Porta also regrets the lack of regulation of rental prices, recalling that “renting accounts for about 20% of the national real estate market and is crucial in the lives of those who have the least and can do the least.”

Regarding the costs of home loans, Porta a Porta emphasizes that the problem is not the payment of the burdensome municipal transfer tax (IMT) at the time of purchase, “it is the monthly payment of a contribution to the bank”, through which it calls for “measures aimed at , to use bank profits to support the reduction of installment plans.”

The movement that launched the Petition for the Right to Housing in Portugal (www.portaaporta.pt/peticao) also challenges the abolition of the emergency contribution for local housing and the expiration of licenses (with the issuance of new licenses becoming a refund). to the jurisdiction of municipalities). In his opinion, these measures favor “the interests of private speculation.” […]opening the doors to more tourists.”

At the same time, Porta a Porta criticizes the government for saying nothing “about the scourge of evictions” and demands a ban on these actions, followed by Vida Justa, which says evictions have “sharply increased since the pandemic” and demands a “moratorium.”

Porta a Porta considers “the intentions stated in terms of student accommodation” to be positive in the government’s strategy, hoping that they will materialize before the next academic year.

Vida Justa agrees with the goal of accelerating the construction of social housing, although hesitantly, as he foresees the “high risk” of the measure leading to “low quality social housing.”

The movement argues that the social and cooperative housing that will be built must be integrated into the urban fabric and include basic infrastructure, services and equipment.

“We don’t want the working population to be increasingly evicted from the city, concentrated in neighborhoods with low quality construction, on the periphery, with long distances between home and work,” he notes.

The government wants to facilitate construction “without making it dependent on the requirement that it be truly affordable housing and fit into territorial planning,” agrees Porta a Porta, recalling that “There is no housing shortage problem in Portugal.” , but rather about “empty houses”.

The movement therefore regrets the government’s retreat in removing the rent enforcement measure included in the More Housing package approved by the previous socialist government and in force since 7 October.