Latest news and stories about property market in Porto, Portugal for expats and residents.
Porto City Council plans to propose a tenfold increase in the IMI municipal property tax on vacant buildings within the Historic Centre starting in 2027. Aimed at curbing vacancy and incentivising owners to bring properties onto the market, the measure addresses an estimated 6,400 empty buildings to boost the local housing supply.
Protesters in Porto demonstrate against the eviction of an elderly couple as widespread housing discontent forms the backdrop for the parliamentary debate on the 2027 State Budget.
To address Portugal's intensifying housing crisis, the Porto Academic Federation (FAP) has proposed key fiscal measures, including rental income tax exemptions and a temporary ban on residential property purchases by non-residents.
Housing activists occupying Praça D. João I in Porto have resolved to maintain their encampment and formally invite Mayor Pedro Duarte to hold discussions directly in the square. The group insists on formal communications rather than individual contacts, preparing a collective list of municipal demands amid wider national protests over housing affordability.
Opposition parties have condemned the Portuguese Government and police response to ongoing housing protests in Porto. Demonstrators, decrying unaffordable rents and calling for systemic housing reform, have pledged to continue their peaceful mobilization despite dismissive government remarks during parliamentary debates on living costs.
The Portuguese Prime Minister's office has released video footage of threats directed at Luís Montenegro amid ongoing housing protests, which organizers have since distanced themselves from. Meanwhile, government officials and Lisbon's mayor are urging calm while demanding accelerated municipal action and private construction to resolve the housing crisis.
Recent housing rights demonstrations in Porto, Portugal, have escalated following clashes between police and an encampment that resulted in dozens of injuries. Despite an initial decision to camp overnight at Praça D. João I, protest organizers ordered an immediate dispersal due to concerns over infiltration by outside groups, while continuing to evaluate further mobilisations.
The president of the ALPN argues that Local Accommodation is not solely responsible for the housing crisis, emphasizing that market pressure stems from multiple factors ahead of a summit to discuss policy solutions.
The city of Portugal has distributed 105 keys to citizens as part of a strategic public housing recovery plan aimed at addressing affordability challenges.
While Matosinhos has successfully housed 512 families through RRP initiatives, the persistent housing crisis leaves over a thousand households still awaiting support.
An analytical look at the persistent housing market crises in Portugal and Spain, highlighting their status as significant problem areas within the European Union.
The Vila Nova de Gaia City Council has declined to join opposition councillors in a collective effort to lobby the Portuguese Environment Agency regarding the reduction of demolitions and the placement of a high-speed rail station.
An analytical overview of the property market in Porto, highlighting its leading position in local accommodation density.
Portugal is set to launch a new Economic and Business District, a strategic urban development project aimed at stimulating the commercial property market and fostering long-term job creation.
Matosinhos municipality is facilitating the construction of 140 affordable rental units by granting land for 90 years, providing financial aid, and streamlining the approval process for housing cooperatives.
The office market in Porto is experiencing high demand, with one-third of the 98,600 square metres currently under construction already reserved.
At a time when the population is uniting around the housing crisis, it is even more urgent to demand an inter-municipal pact for housing and mobility, two sides of the same quality of life.
A week ago, the Porto City Council approved a proposal accepting cash payments in exchange for waiving affordable housing requirements in new real estate developments.
The mayor of Porto admits to revoking the decision that allows real estate companies to pay financial compensations instead of building affordable housing.
The auxiliary bishop of Porto and president of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care, Roberto Mariz, says that the Catholic Church in Portugal is evaluating the possibility of allowing currently vacant properties, including parish residences, to be used for housing. In an interview with the newspaper 7Margens, the official opens the door to making them available for rent.
Housing protesters have been cooking in the communal canteen every day and have already fed several homeless people.
The law prohibits the Armed Forces from intervening in public order outside of a state of siege or emergency. The viral “convoy” was part of a previously planned military parade.
Porto City Council has collected 33 million euros since 2021 through compensation from developers. Pedro Duarte wants to eliminate this option for hotel and tourism developments.
The municipality of Porto has identified 6,400 buildings showing signs of being vacant. The increase is initially intended for properties, but Pedro Duarte admits that vacant plots of land may be included in the future.
Porto's municipal executive will propose that, starting in 2027, the IMI (Municipal Property Tax) for vacant buildings in the Historic Centre be increased tenfold. Mayor Pedro Duarte stated that this significant penalty is intended to encourage owners to place their empty properties on the market. The municipality has identified approximately 6,400 buildings showing signs of being vacant, and the measure aims to promote their rehabilitation and increase housing supply. Previous years saw lower numbers of properties covered by this tax increase, with the process suspended in 2024 and 2025 due to political transitions.
The protest for the right to housing has already been the target of two police charges that resulted in dozens of injuries. Pedro Duarte withdraws the word “implacable” but defends the actions of the PSP.
Fiscal “penalty” aims to encourage owners to put vacant houses on the market
The housing crisis continues to mobilise protests in Porto, denouncing the burden of high rents and the difficulty in securing a home. The 'Casa para Viver' (Housing to Live In) platform organised last night's demonstration at Trindade and has scheduled a national protest for 14 November.
The local authority was set to receive 1.3 million euros, eight times below the market price.
We asked the mayors of Lisbon and Porto: what are you doing about housing in your respective municipalities? This is the answer from Pedro Duarte.
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