Letters to the editor
A section of a newspaper or publication where readers' letters are published.

Latest news and stories about housing crisis in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
A section of a newspaper or publication where readers' letters are published.

The Casa para Viver platform is petitioning the President of Portugal to declare the housing crisis a national emergency, advocating for rent controls and eviction protections ahead of nationwide protests.
The 29th edition of the Portugal Real Estate Fair showcases new initiatives and projects aimed at addressing the ongoing housing crisis.

At 115 years old, celebrated this week, the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon has elected its first female director. Conceição Freitas, 63, a full professor with a PhD in Geology, will lead a school of six thousand students for the next four years, aiming to reaffirm the 'Ciências' brand on both the national and international stage.
Supply and demand are dominated by large investors and the new law will further facilitate a sales dynamic, rather than leasing, says Luís Mendes, vice-president of the Lisbon Tenants' Association (AIL).

Filipa Roseta finds “some slowness” in the State's response to the housing crisis. The former Lisbon City Council councillor advocates for “common sense” public policies, without excluding the participation of the Central Government.

Our guest today is Bobby O’Reilly, the straight-talking Irish investor-developer behind projects in Lisbon and the ‘Margem Sul’, who saw Ireland’s Celtic Tiger boom and bust first-hand and is now The post Fixing Portugal’s housing crisis – Interview with Bobby O’Reilly appeared first on Portugal Resident.

The national coordinator of the Left Bloc (BE) suggests transforming public buildings into affordable housing instead of selling them off.

'There is a growing gap between housing markets and people's reality.' These are the conclusions of the two European Parliament working groups that visited Portugal to assess the situation regarding affordable housing and the recovery and resilience mechanism.
“There is a growing gap between housing markets and people's reality.” These are the conclusions of the two European Parliament working groups that visited Portugal to assess the situation regarding affordable housing and the recovery and resilience mechanism.
The urgent response plan to the public housing crisis in the municipality of Cascais now totals 507 million euros for the construction of 4,600 new housing solutions.

The urgent response plan to the public housing crisis now totals 507 million euros for the construction of 4,600 new homes.

The visit begins on Monday, the day on which the MEPs will discuss Portugal's affordable housing programme.

A delegation from the European Parliament's Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (EU), including communist MEP João Oliveira, is visiting Lisbon between Monday and Wednesday to analyse the country's responses to the housing crisis. In a statement released this Thursday, the European assembly indicated that a delegation from the Housing Committee...

In February 2025, a fire destroyed the apartment where Marina lived with her three daughters. The Oeiras City Council provided temporary housing, but the family has now received an eviction notice for March 31st.

For many Portuguese families, buying or renting a home has never been more difficult. Data from the Bank of Portugal, published this Wednesday in the March Economic Bulletin, clearly confirms this reality. Between 2016 and 2025, the housing price index rose by about 140%, with 80% of that increase concentrated since 2019 alone. New rental prices...

In February, the European Commission chose Lisbon to present its plan to address the housing crisis, a problem driven by a lack of affordable properties and soaring costs for both purchase and rent. While Brussels aims to boost construction and regulate short-term rentals, these goals face significant hurdles, including labour shortages in an anti-immigration political climate and pressure from the tourism industry. Meanwhile, the financial burden on citizens is intensifying: Euribor rates are rising, and 2025 data shows a record 17.6% increase in housing prices, with transaction values reaching 41.2 billion euros. Despite these costs, demand remains high, particularly in Greater Lisbon. European Commissioner Dan Jorgensen has declared that having a home is a human right, yet without decisive political action, there is a growing risk that homeownership will become a privilege reserved for the few.

Thousands of higher education students from across the country are expected in Lisbon today to participate in a national demonstration for free education, more housing, and better study conditions.
Several cities across the country demonstrated against the rampant rise in house prices.

PCP, Livre and BE joined the 'Housing to Live' protest in Lisbon and 15 other locations. The parties criticise Government measures which, they state, increase rents and facilitate evictions.

In the fifth 'Casa Para Viver' (Housing to Live In) demonstration, the lower turnout compared to previous protests was visible. Activists argue that occupying the street is an important tool, but not the only one.

In addition to Lisbon, 15 other locations responded this Saturday to the call from the Casa para Viver platform.

Hundreds of people gathered in Lisbon this Saturday to defend the right to housing, filling Avenida da Liberdade with placards demanding action against rising property prices. The protest, organised by the 'Casa Para Viver' (Home to Live In) platform, saw participation from political parties including the PCP, BE, and Livre. Demonstrators marched towards Praça dos Restauradores, calling for lower rents and higher wages. The platform criticised the Government's recent measures, particularly those facilitating evictions, as irresponsible. Lisbon, where residents reportedly spend over 100% of their income on housing, was one of 16 locations across Portugal hosting protests today.
“Tired of choosing between paying rent or eating” was among the slogans of the demonstrators gathered at Marquês do Pombal. The protest organized by Casa Para Viver is heading towards Restauradores.

Protesters demand answers against the continuous rise in house prices

The protest was organised by the Casa Para Viver platform.

The Casa Para Viver platform, which unites dozens of collectives advocating for housing rights, is organizing a protest in Lisbon this Saturday to oppose recent government measures. Critics argue that policies such as facilitating the sale of undivided inheritances and easing eviction processes for non-payment will exacerbate the housing crisis rather than solve it. Representative Rita Silva warns that these initiatives treat housing as a financial asset, worsening access for those in need and contributing to a rise in homelessness and precarious living conditions. The platform is calling for emergency measures, including a suspension of evictions and the implementation of rent regulations to curb speculative practices.