The President of the Republic has enacted the Government’s decree establishing the requirements for temporary housing for displaced construction workers. The new legal framework updates a regime over 60 years old and awaits the publication of technical standards to come into effect, as stated on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic.
On September 25, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, announced that the Government will support temporary housing for construction workers. During a press conference amidst the second Cabinet meeting on the housing crisis in two weeks, Pinto Luz emphasized the need to “ensure dignified living conditions” for construction workers.
This support, part of the “national effort” to build more housing, will provide temporary accommodation “on-site,” the minister elaborated, without providing further details.
Luz later met with journalists, where the Secretary of State for Housing, Patrícia Gonçalves Costa, offered further explanation. She noted that there is already legislation providing for temporary accommodation at construction sites. Under this, workers can be housed near worksites in adapted containers or existing buildings for the duration of the project without going through urban planning procedures.
She described the process as “agile”, adding that the measure could extend to the agricultural and tourism sectors.
On the same day, the Government announced various housing measures, including reducing VAT to 6% for building homes for sale up to 648,000 euros or for rental with rents up to 2,300 euros.
The Prime Minister also announced an increase in the Municipal Tax on the Sale of Real Estate (IMT) for non-residents purchasing homes in Portugal, excluding emigrants.
