The Association of Local Accommodation in Portugal (ALEP) reiterated today that the Mais Habitação program “asphyxiates” and ends the renewal of the sector, on the day that the socialist majority ensures the final approval of this legislative package.
ALEP was heard today by the parliamentary committee that monitors Housing, in a hearing that no longer affects the approval in a final global vote of the Mais Habitação package, assured by the Socialist majority.
“They are going to destroy the tourism economy without achieving almost anything in terms of Housing”, said the president of ALEP, Eduardo Miranda, considering that there are “eight or nine measures” especially penalizing that “asphyxiate” the AL, but also compromise tourism and affect other neighborhood activities, such as grocery stores and cafes.
Among them is the application of a commercial rate “without a direct relationship to the activity” that “as it is made with an assumed profit, can be higher” up to the billing, he said, stressing that those who manage to survive this “disproportionate” rate are left “without any investment capacity”, which jeopardizes the renewal of the sector.
On the other hand, he criticized the “prohibitive measure, which is the unanimity of the condominium for new registrations”, since “anyone who knows condominium life knows that unanimity is the same thing as prohibition and is impossible to obtain”, he considered.
“This is a blockade of the renewal of a sector that represents 40% of tourism. There is no renewal in a good part of the sector and then it leaves those who are operating in a margin of constant insecurity and without perspective “, he highlighted.
Eduardo Miranda also stressed, among other issues, that the new law puts pressure on landlords, by providing for an increase in IMI, “regardless of whether the holder owns the accommodation or not”, with “39% of the holders not being owners”.
With a licensing review due in five years, “no one can predict the future in this way”.
“This condemns 40% of tourism to decay without renewal, without investment. (…) How is it possible to think about being a leader in tourism, if we end renewal, if we asphyxiate and decapitalize those who are in the activity, if we take away the perspective, we prevent investment in qualification “, he said, considering that” this is to kill the very stability of employees “.
The final Mais Habitação bill will be approved by the Socialist majority, but without managing to eliminate criticism and controversy over some of the measures envisaged.
On February 16, the Council of Ministers approved a set of measures aimed at addressing the increasing difficulties of families in accessing or maintaining housing, in a context of accelerating interest rate increases, as well as rising rents and house prices.
Among what will be approved is the creation of an extraordinary contribution of 15% on LA in areas of greater urban pressure and housing shortage, justified by the need to compensate for the negative impact that this activity ends up generating.
The bill was approved in general on May 19, with the PS voting in favor, the PAN and Livre abstaining and the remaining parties voting against.
During the discussion and voting process, the PS vote was decisive, both in approving the Government’s proposal and in the amendments it tabled and in rejecting the amendments tabled by the opposition.
Mais Habitação program goes to final global vote in parliament today
