Alexandra Leitão discussed the end of the moratoriums on Local Accommodation which will allow the granting of new licenses from Monday. The period of suspension of new registrations has entered the agenda of Carlos Moedas’ opposition and concerns are increasing in all quarters.
The jurist recalls that the “Government of Luís Montenegro revoked Mais Habitação and caused all limitations on Local Accommodation to fall”. He then refers, exclusively to DN, that in October 2024 “the regulations were suspended”, so that the ratios could be “changed” and access could become “more restrictive”.
After a new suspension, and after a public consultation in April, “Moedas said he would resolve the situation, but he did not agree to schedule, discuss or vote”, alleges the socialist. “And the PS asked, in September, before the elections, to schedule changes to the municipal regulations”, he tells DN, considering it “extremely serious” that nothing had been done, accusing the re-elected mayor: “Approving the ratios still takes some time, it would have to be done via the Municipal Assembly. Moedas did it with intent or negligence, he is to blame.”
The former minister and former parliamentary leader of the PS was associated with Livre, Bloco de Esquerda and PAN in the race to Lisbon and defended the “restriction of local accommodation” and the “reinforcement of the containment zone”, placing developments destined for Local Accommodation at 2.5% per parish. Now, it foresees “a rush in relation to local accommodation”, but also the “associated housing impact” due to the conversion of several lots for this purpose. Consequently, financial speculation will increase in a city that has high housing price indices.
“Everything that happens is irreversible. Containment levels could go from 5% to 10% or 20%”, he explains, with fear and criticism, stressing that the PS tries to “schedule quickly” meetings that could change the regulations, in order to “prevent the situation from remaining like this for too long.”
Leitão has no doubt that Carlos Moedas is tied to deadlines. “It was a decree-law that allowed one year of suspension. There is no extension possible. It’s irreversible. A new decree-law would have to be made”shoots, repudiating Moedas’ inaction and Luís Montenegro’s government decisions.
As for the fact that the president has not yet taken office, which should happen next week, the socialist recalls the requests for a September meeting and considers that the aedile is “in office” and “has not been diminished by any of his powers.”
Alexandra Leitão stressed that the strategy to increase housing included restricting new local accommodation, although the PS, with other councilors in 2023 and 2024, approved, via abstention, new hotels. Carlos Moedas did not detail plans, in the electoral program, regarding local accommodation, but the Liberal Initiative, a coalition partner, is critical of municipal limitations on tourism and economic development. As such, Leitão and the remaining left-wing parties do not believe that the solution can be positive in their view of the city.
After the Bloco de Esquerda, still councilor Ricardo Moreira, followed by Mariana Mortágua, raised the possibility of a real explosion in the real estate market In view of the end of the limitation on the attribution of new Local Accommodation licenses, the PCP, this Tuesday, also expressed concern and asked for urgent meetings to put into action “the contributions made” previously.
Carlos Moedas prepares a reaction, but knowing that there will be no way to extend the suspension, the solution could be to not accept new licenses until the regulation is approved. This possibility has not been confirmed to DN yet.
The PSD-CDS-PP-IL coalition has eight councilors. The Viver Lisboa movement has six, the CDU one and Chega two. In this case, the thinking of Bruno Mascarenhas and Chega could be decisive for the drafting of a regulation because it could stop some of Moedas’ intentions, having already defended, in fact, some control in the housing chapter, which covered immigrants, but also tourism.