The Minister of Housing said today that the government will “consider” and “evaluate” the proposals presented by the various entities on updating rents for 2024, having promised a “balanced decision” based on “two fundamental premises”.
“We have a major concern and a major priority, which is to ensure that the housing market remains healthy and stable, and that tenants don’t have to make an extra effort here when they can’t already take responsibility for their rent,” Marina Gonçalves told Lusa in Alcanena (Santarém), on the sidelines of the signing of protocols with municipalities in the Médio Tejo region to build affordable housing.
Without confirming whether the government will set a limit for updating rents in 2024, she said, however, that it is with “these premises” that the government will “evaluate the various proposals and suggestions that have been on the table” and that have resulted from the “consultation” with the various entities representing the sector.
“As a result, we will also have this job of evaluating and being able to make a decision, if we make one, regarding the 2024 coefficient,” he said, indicating that it was time to “consider” “balanced” measures aimed at landlords and tenants in the context of updating rents, both for housing and for businesses and services, included in the same NRAU [New Urban Lease Regime] rule.
After meeting with tenants’ associations, landlords, consumers and trade unions, Marina Gonçalves said that “the various concerns” presented “often seem contradictory in themselves”, and said she “believes” that “there is always a balance in the positions and, above all, a balance in the decisions” to be taken.
“Obviously, we won’t wait until the end of the year, but we’re sure that we have this time to consider things in order to make a balanced decision,” he reiterated.
Today in Alcanena, the Minister for Housing presided over the signing ceremony of several operational agreements for affordable housing projects in the Médio Tejo region, whose Intermunicipal Community (CIM) has had a protocol package since June with the Institute for Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU), which provides for an investment of close to 150 million euros (ME) in 1,132 affordable homes in the 13 municipalities.
In total, agreements were signed today corresponding to 15 properties that will allow the construction or rehabilitation of 226 homes, representing a total investment of 32.4 ME (with VAT), with the Médio Tejo CIM making operational today “more than 20% of the initial pact” signed with the IHRU on June 23rd.
“It’s a good example of how, in a short space of time, the idea was drawn up, the projects we want to carry out in the Médio Tejo in terms of affordable rent were defined, the protocol was signed, and today another step is being taken in this operational realization, with 20% already underway,” said Marina Gonçalves, who argued that the overall national program, which must be completed by June 2026, “must remain beyond the PRR”.
The projects signed with the municipalities of the Médio Tejo in the context of affordable rent, with the exception of Entroncamento, whose proposal to build 100 homes was rejected by the opposition, are financed with funds from the loan granted as part of the investment in the Public Affordable Housing Park under the Housing component of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
