Portugal: over 18,600 houses to be added to affordable housing program (Observador, 29 July 2020)

• Government will add more than 18,600 houses in the affordable income housing program

• Original headline in Portuguese: Governo vai inserir mais de 18.600 casas no programa habitação com renda acessível

• By Vítor Andrade. Published in Observador on 29 July 2020

• https://observador.pt/2020/07/29/governo-vai-inserir-mais-de-18-600-casas-no-programa-habitacao-com-renda-acessivel/

• Summary through Google Translate:

  • The initiative aims not only to respond to the lack of affordable housing, but also to give an injection of vitality to the construction sector, which is also in crisis due to the pandemic.

  • The properties to be readapted into affordable housing include the old pediatric hospital of Coimbra, the psychiatric hospital Magalhães de Lemos, in Vila do Conde, vacant palaces, old convents, houses, land, farms, apartment blocks and much more.

  • Of the (supposed) total of 18660 dwellings , 20% will be transferred to the municipalities, and many others may be turned over to public-community partnerships.

• Keywords: Portugal, affordable housing, rental prices, housing prices, Covid-19, construction sector