During a hearing at the Assembly of the Republic concerning the assessment, in detail, of the State Budget proposal for 2026, Secretary of State for Housing Patrícia Gonçalves Costa announced the conclusion of 85 agreements with 57 municipalities, covering 17 properties. The proposed State Budget for 2026 includes plans for an additional 33 agreements with 29 municipalities, which will cover 49 properties.
In response to questions from several deputies, the Secretary of State also specified that the government supports the decentralization of the assets of the Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU), which has “14,000 houses spread across various municipalities.”
This solution, she argues, ensures “closer support” to families, and strategies are in place for municipalities that choose not to take in these assets.
When asked about the properties the State will sell or make available for public-private partnerships, Patrícia Gonçalves Costa emphasized that the process aims to fund public housing policies.
“ESTAMO is evaluating all properties, including all historical background, ensuring the legal provisions for successfully executing a process of asset disposal are met,” she stated, referring to the state-owned company responsible for the management, sale, leasing, and promotion of the State’s non-strategic real estate assets.
The government plans to place 16 vacant or underutilized public buildings and lands on the market to finance public housing programs. This includes the former headquarters of the Council of Ministers and several buildings that housed the ministries of Education, Economy, and Health in Lisbon.
The targeted buildings and lands are located in Lisbon, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Felgueiras, Marco de Canaveses, and Matosinhos.
The procedures for disposing of the properties are expected to commence by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with the aim of completing the process by the end of the following year.
