The unanimous decision to revise the Municipal Plan for Homeless People 2024-2030 was reached in response to a petition from residents and business owners in Beato. They expressed concerns about the social and economic impacts of the concentration of homeless individuals in their area.
Representing around 800 petitioners, Pedro Antunes pointed out that over the past year, since support services at Quartel de Santa Bárbara in Arroios closed, there has been an “unacceptably excessive concentration” of homeless individuals in Beato. This was compounded by the establishment of an emergency housing center in the north wing of the former Military Maintenance building.
Antunes noted that Beato houses over 25% of the city’s homeless accommodation solutions, despite accounting for just 2% of Lisbon’s territory among its 24 parishes. He expressed concerns about problematic behavior, public space degradation, insecurity, and dirtier areas.
Silvino Correia (PS), President of the Beato Parish Council, described the petition as a reflection of general dissatisfaction with concentrating welfare solutions in an area already experiencing “deep economic, social, and structural needs.” He highlighted his initial reluctancy to the city’s intention to accommodate over a hundred homeless individuals in the former Military Maintenance site’s north wing.
Correia argued that solutions should be distributed across the city to avoid over-concentration in locations like Beato and noted what he termed a “serious strategic error” by the city council, under PSD/CDS-PP leadership.
Municipal deputies not only called for a review of the current municipal plan but also urged the city council to take rapid action on cleaning, safety, and urban redevelopment, provide specialized mental health and addiction support, and invest in equipment and infrastructure in Beato, including schools, sports facilities, and the parish council headquarters.
During the meeting, the assembly also reviewed a petition concerning the Bairro da Boavista Health Center in Benfica, recommending the city council maintain its commitment to the space within the National Health Service framework, ensuring it is not managed externally, including by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa.
This recommendation passed despite opposition from PSD, IL, Aliança, and CDS-PP, abstention from Chega, and support from BE, Livre, PEV, PCP, PS, and two independent Cidadãos Por Lisboa deputies (elected by the PS/Livre coalition).
A petition for the opening and operation of a senior residence, under a protocol between the Lisbon City Council and the National Association of Light Automobile Transporters (ANTRAL), was also discussed. Despite being inaugurated in April in the Ajuda parish, the residence remains closed. The assembly unanimously endorsed a recommendation for the city council to address the issue, given its capacity for 40 residents.
Municipal deputies additionally reviewed another petition advocating for the closure of Vago and Lisa bars on Rua das Gaivotas in the Misericórdia parish. This resulted in a unanimous recommendation for establishing multidisciplinary teams to intervene “both in preliminary actions for licensing night entertainment venues and setting respective hours, and in overseeing and potentially applying coercive measures.”
