The report presented at the XXVII Congress of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) in Viana do Castelo highlighted that by April this year, strategies for local housing had been validated by the Institute for Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU) in 298 municipalities (96.8%). Currently, municipalities are engaged in working on Municipal Housing Plans.
The report notes that “there is no predictability of funding for implementing this planning. Funding should be aligned with the public investments prioritized by municipalities, addressing actual housing needs identified in strategic planning instruments,” as stated by Francisco Lopes, the mayor of Lamego.
According to Lopes, only a shift to “a stable and more suitable funding model for the realities and distinct contexts of housing shortages can lead to the success of public housing policies,” deemed crucial for territorial cohesion and reducing inequalities among people.
“This will only be possible with the direct and regular transfer of State Budget (OE) funds to municipalities,” he argued.
This new model might be implemented through the new Law on Local Finance (LFL), demanded by municipalities, or “through a dedicated fund created with specific funds, annually transferred from the OE, with predefined distribution criteria, ensuring necessary budgetary transparency and predictability.”
Besides housing, the report highlights other challenges faced by municipalities, such as green and energy transitions, including waste, water, and sanitation, rural abandonment and fire risk, sustainable and inclusive mobility, and career differentiation for local public service workers, especially in the sectors of water, sanitation, hygiene, urban waste, support personnel for children with special educational needs, and public transportation drivers.
Previously, Ricardo Leão, the mayor of Loures, presented his report on “Local Financing,” considering that a new local finance law is a prominent demand from local officials.
At the ANMP Congress, concluding today in Viana do Castelo, local officials elected Pedro Pimpão, the mayor of Pombal from the PSD, as president for the next term.
This afternoon, the resolution of the XXVII ANMP Congress, containing the main conclusions and commitments of the municipalities for the next term, will be debated and then voted on.
