Latest news and stories about housing policy in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
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The Minister of Housing was in Parliament this Wednesday but refused to provide further details on the bills approved by the Council of Ministers so as not to hinder the dialogue with the parties.
The added value of cooperatives lies in participation and community building. Equal economic benefits for everyone do not create that value. Opinion by Marta Maçães Viana.
The Government's new housing measures are being met with criticism by the Lisbon Tenants' Association (AIL), particularly regarding the aspect that aims to accelerate evictions due to non-payment, the vice-president told Lusa. “We are very critical of the measure and never thought it would have this scope,” stated the AIL vice-president, Luís.
The Government's new housing measures are being met with criticism by the Lisbon Tenants' Association (AIL), particularly regarding the aspect that aims to accelerate evictions due to non-payment, the vice-president told Lusa.
The Lobos win their second Rugby Europe Championship title after defeating Georgia 19-17. Also, the 'Casa para Viver' movement delivers housing demands to the Belém Palace.
The webpage provides a broad overview of current news related to Portugal, covering political developments, economic issues, and sports. Notably, Ventura denies any “misalignment” following his removal from a position at CML and a request from Matias. The government faces criticism over housing policies, with Casa para Viver issuing an open letter about the housing emergency in Belém. Politically, PS Defense Minister Carneiro criticizes the government's perceived incapacity. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is conducting open presidential visits across several cities. In sports, FC Porto continues its pursuit of the league title, and there are notable events in football and other sports. Additionally, international news includes updates on the Middle East, Brazil, and Israel, with specific references to Netanyahu and Iran. Overall, the site offers a comprehensive snapshot of Portugal's political, economic, and sporting landscape, alongside significant international updates.
The headlines from Portugal on March 13, 2026, highlight significant national and international issues. The Middle East conflict dominates the news, impacting fuel and food prices, with concerns over war-related food shortages and geopolitical tensions. Domestically, the government adopts a tougher stance, distancing itself from labor unions like UGT, amid political shifts reflected in voting intentions favoring the PS and Chega over PSD. Key events include the death of journalist Mário Zambujal, ongoing investigations into scams and trafficking, and developments in housing policies, education, and healthcare. Sports results feature victories for FC Porto and Braga, while other stories cover infrastructure projects, energy market disruptions due to Iran's war, and social issues such as mobile phone use in schools and hospital procedures. Overall, the coverage underscores Portugal's political, social, and economic challenges amid global conflicts.
The Casa para Viver collective has scheduled demonstrations to protest against the government's latest housing policy proposals.
The platform is calling for participation in the street protest it has scheduled for the 21st.
The government is preparing changes to housing policy to accelerate evictions in cases of non-compliance and unlock the sale of inherited properties, aiming to increase rental supply. Minister Leitão Amaro's measures seek to balance incentives for landlords with the protection of vulnerable tenants. The article argues that public policy must provide legal and fiscal security for owners while ensuring the state, rather than private individuals, bears the burden of social support. It also highlights the need for robust public investment in housing, improved public transport to support mobility, and a long-term, coherent strategy that transcends political cycles.
The government is set to approve changes to tenancy laws (Lei do Arrendamento) this Thursday to expedite judicial decisions for non-payment of rent. The measures, led by Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Miguel Pinto Luz, aim to restore landlord confidence and bring thousands of vacant properties back to the market. Tenants should note that while the reform targets persistent non-payment, the government has stated it will include protections for vulnerable residents.
Update: New rules for undivided inheritances and evictions
The Council of Ministers (Conselho de Ministros) has approved three bills to resolve impasses in undivided inheritances (heranças indivisas) and speed up evictions for rent arrears. Minister of the Presidency (Ministro da Presidência) António Leitão Amaro explained that after two years of an inheritance being accepted, a single heir can now initiate a property sale to prevent one person from blocking the process. The government will consult Parliament next week, aiming to finalize the laws by the end of the month.
Miguel Pinto Luz is Portugal's Minister of Infrastructure. On Feb 24, 2026 he told journalists in Viseu that works on the A1 motorway in the Coimbra area would be fully completed and traffic restored to four lanes by the end of that week.
The Lei do Arrendamento (Leasing Law) is the primary legal framework governing rental agreements in Portugal. Recent government updates aim to speed up evictions for non-payment while maintaining protections for vulnerable residents to encourage more property owners to enter the rental market. Tenants should note that these changes may affect notice periods and dispute resolution processes.
The Council of Ministers (Conselho de Ministros) is Portugal’s national cabinet where the prime minister and ministers meet to approve government decisions, laws and emergency measures. In crises it can decide on declarations such as a state of calamity and the measures that follow; those decisions are then published in the Diário da República. Residents should note that a Council declaration can unlock national aid, resources and civil protection support for affected municipalities.
António Leitão Amaro is Portugal's Minister of the Presidency (Ministro da Presidência) in the government led by Luís Montenegro. He is a key figure in the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) and often is the government's spokesperson. Those following housing and rental policy should note his role in announcing the June 2024 measures regarding evictions and inheritances.
The European Parliament also advocates for “measures that allow young people to access housing credit,” such as reduced transaction fees, IMT exemption for the purchase of a first home, or the granting of subsidised loans.
Two buildings in Lisbon and three plots of land will go to auction on March 31st.
Since July of last year, Loures City Council has demolished 88 homes in the Talude Militar neighbourhood, where 23 other structures are currently protected by an injunction. In response to the Lusa agency, the local authority stated that, as part of inspection actions carried out between 14 July 2025—when it conducted a large-scale intervention in Talude Militar—and last Friday, it demolished what it describes as “88 shanty structures built illegally.” Meanwhile, 23 buildings have been flagged with an injunction, which the council, led by Socialist Ricardo Leão, guarantees it is respecting. However, it notes that it has “observed, in several cases, attempts to expand these constructions” and has taken action against them, albeit “only on elements not protected by the judicial decision.” The demolitions “focused exclusively on extensions or new constructions” made after the notification of the court order, the council asserts. Regarding support for evicted families, only one household currently maintains “regular social monitoring by municipal services,” the council mentions, adding that 24 families have found housing solutions to date, having benefited from financial support for security deposits and first month's rent. “The remaining families occasionally resort to social services when they need specific support, having shown no interest in continuous monitoring, namely in the process of searching for alternative housing or autonomy actions,” it clarifies. Municipal services also provided food vouchers to 14 families. Loures City Council has been regularly demolishing self-built homes in various neighbourhoods across the municipality. To criticism from residents and associations complaining about a lack of housing alternatives, the council has responded that it will not allow the “proliferation of shanties in the municipality,” guaranteeing that “whenever new illegal constructions are identified, the intervention will be immediate and determined.” This “stance of total intransigence regarding illegal land occupation” has been affirmed and reiterated by Ricardo Leão, who was elected for a second term.
Wealthier municipalities concentrate the majority of homes financed by the 1st Right, while interior regions, with high percentages of vacant homes and population loss, are neglected.
There is an old consensus in Portuguese society that has drained housing policy: that the market will resolve it. Opinion by José Carlos Guinote
In Portugal, nearly 651,000 taxpayers were exempt from the Municipal Property Tax (IMI) in 2024 due to low incomes and reduced property values. This exemption affected 650,907 taxpayers, covering over 2 million rural and urban properties. The criteria for exemption include a gross income cap of €16,398.1 and a property value limit of €71,296.4. The IMI collection for municipalities was €1,500.3 million, showing a slight decrease from the previous year. The OECD has suggested reforms to the property tax system to support the housing market.
Carlos Moedas justified the proposal, emphasising that “many councils, after June, are left with either national support or their own capital, but they do not have the capacity for such large amounts”.
The president of Lisbon City Council today called for a Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) dedicated solely to housing, emphasising that the programme in force until June 2026 is not sufficient to resolve the current crisis.
A morning roundup noting that nearly 3,300 people have legally changed their gender and name since 2018. Separately, architects are raising questions about the '1.º Direito' initiative.
The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, said today that increased construction is needed to ease the housing crisis, urging the cement sector not to let the fiscal measures 'die on the beach'.
The Government's housing package, approved by Parliament on 9 January, is 'welcome' and contains 'positive' measures, but it is not certain that it will increase the supply of homes or reduce prices, acknowledge executives from leading estate agencies. For Rafael Ascenso, founder and partner at Porta da Frente Christie's, the new package brings advances ...
The OECD recommends that Portugal lower the IMT (property transfer tax) and raise the IMI (municipal property tax), particularly for vacant homes. The recommendations come at a time when parliament approved a package of measures intended to help resolve the housing problem. We analyse the impact on the property market with economist João Duque. Listen to the podcast here.
Home News Algarve 2030 reprogramming approved Algarve 2030 reprogramming approved Brussels has validated the Algarve 2030 reprogramming, which allows the N+3 rule, defined in 2025, to be met to strengthen housing and economic diversification.
