“No one was left behind. Only those who chose to remain, indeed,” stated Sónia Paixão, also the councilor in charge of Housing, during a public meeting of the municipal executive of Loures, led by socialist Ricardo Leão.
Sónia Paixão, who replaced the mayor at the meeting, responded to questions from the opposition about demolitions that occurred about a week ago in Bairro do Talude Militar.
This issue dominated the pre-agenda period (PAOD), during which a CDU motion was presented, demanding that the district of Lisbon’s municipality and the Government find a housing solution for the families of Talude Militar, highlighting a “social emergency” in the neighborhood.
The document was rejected, with PS, PSD, and Chega voting against and CDU in favor.
Sónia Paixão explained that the Loures City Council identified the presence of “shacks” in Talude in March and has since alerted residents about their illegality.
The councilor noted that many residents “were under the illusion of eventually getting a house” and that some of them had purchased the “shacks” they were living in.
According to the Housing councilor, since March, 152 shacks were constructed there, arguing that, without municipal intervention, the year would end with “ten times more precarious constructions.”
“It is a matter of public health and safety,” she emphasized.
Reflecting on the situation, the socialist councilor mentioned that, so far, the municipality has assisted 42 families from Talude, with six already receiving rent support.
Moreover, three families remain housed in hotels.
On Tuesday, the Mayor of Loures, Ricardo Leão, revealed that the municipality filed a criminal complaint to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, alleging a “criminal network” selling “shacks” in the Talude Militar neighborhood.
Speaking at a conference organized by SIC Notícias, the mayor stated that “shacks are being sold for two to three thousand euros for every five square meters, with guarantees of electricity and water,” noting that between March and July, the number of precarious homes in Talude Militar quadrupled.
Ricardo Leão also stated that nearly half of the Talude Militar residents are from outside the municipality and accused the Vida Justa movement of “harming the people” of Talude and manipulating them.
In a statement released today, the Vida Justa movement accused the Mayor of Loures of lying and explained that the residents of Talude do not accept the municipality’s proposals as they are not “serious.”
“The municipality is not looking for solutions for the residents; it is just pretending for the media that something was offered to the residents. The Vida Justa movement demands real solutions for this humanitarian catastrophe caused by the housing crisis and the lack of concrete responses from the Government and most municipalities,” the statement notes.
The Loures City Council began a week ago an operation to demolish 64 precarious homes, where 161 people live.
In two days, 55 homes were demolished, but on the second day, an injunction was filed by 14 residents, which the Lisbon Administrative Court accepted, leading to the suspension of the operations.
[News updated at 16:23]
