A letter from Vida Justa concerning the situation in Talude Militar neighborhood, Loures, includes a paragraph stating, “In Odivelas, in Urmeira, the Instituto de Habitação e Reabilitação Urbana (IHRU), together with the local authority, has promoted evictions without providing housing alternatives.”
Lusa interviewed two residents from Santo António neighborhood, Urmeira, Serra da Luz, who confirmed evictions had taken place in the region last week and this Wednesday.
One resident reported that last week, judicial officers from the Tribunal Judicial da Comarca de Lisboa Norte – Unidade Central de Loures, accompanied by PSP agents and IHRU staff, arrived in Santo António, evicted occupants, and sealed the houses with bricks.
In a response to Lusa, Odivelas Municipality stated, “Actions in the Santo António neighborhood, Urmeira, are the responsibility of the housing owner, namely the IHRU,” which has yet to respond to questions from Lusa.
The municipality did not provide information on evictions, displaced families, or housing alternatives.
A resident reported that four houses, home to about ten people, were vacated without any notice.
The same resident, “born and raised” in the neighborhood, noted that her parents were relocated 11 years ago and that IHRU had promised housing for their descendants, a promise not fulfilled. “Now they claim we are illegal in our homes,” she lamented.
Another resident informed Lusa that in the neighboring Menino de Deus neighborhood, a family was evicted this Wednesday from an unoccupied house.
“They broke into the house and sealed it without offering alternatives,” she said.
“We can pay rent, but not at the rates they charge. What will we feed our children?” she emphasized, mentioning threats from social workers about removing her children.
Rita Silva from Vida Justa told Lusa that the movement plans to meet with residents today to discuss the situation.
This is not the first time Vida Justa has criticized Odivelas Municipality’s eviction actions.
In response to a prior eviction in May, the executive led by Hugo Martins (elected by the PS) emphasized that “the assignment of municipal housing follows strict criteria defined by current laws and Odivelas’ local housing strategy in line with the Programa 1.º Direito.”
Simultaneously, the mayor highlighted ongoing investment for improving the housing inventory, estimated at 46 million euros, facilitating the availability of 275 homes.
Recently, several municipalities within the Lisbon district carried out demolitions and evictions across various neighborhoods, prompting Vida Justa to issue the open letter “Stop Evictions and Solve the Housing Crisis,” which garnered 2,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.
[Updated at 5:28 PM]
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