Lisbon Faces 700 Illegal Occupations of Municipal Housing - A Deep Dive into the Crisis

The Housing Councillor of Lisbon City Council revealed that the municipality has been grappling with over 1,000 illegal occupations of municipal housing units, with 700 cases still unresolved. Filipa Roseta (PSD) emphasized the need for a humane approach, stating, "We are rigorous, truthful, but we must be human." Out of the 300 resolved cases, slightly more than 100 were found empty, a similar number were vacated, and another 100 were regularized.

During a municipal assembly meeting, a proposal by the Chega party to identify and vacate illegally occupied social housing for those on waiting lists was rejected. The vote saw opposition from BE, Livre, PEV, PCP, and PS, while PSD, IL, MPT, Aliança, CDS-PP, and Chega supported it.

Roseta highlighted that at the start of the current 2021-2025 term, over 800 families were in irregular situations regarding municipal housing occupancy, calling it "not normal" and a "very heavy legacy." The Chega proposal aimed for a thorough investigation into illegal occupations, which Roseta deemed non-controversial, noting the council had already identified over 1,000 abusive occupations in 2022.

The PSD councillor explained the diversity among these occupations, including cases where family members remained in homes without rental contracts, asserting, "Houses are not inherited in our city; they do not pass from parents to children." Currently, 600 of the 700 unresolved cases have submitted documents, allowing the council to assess each situation individually.

Roseta pointed out cases of extreme social vulnerability, where individuals, had they applied, would have qualified for housing, and highlighted a lack of awareness about available support. The focus is on aiding those in greatest need, with other cases being vacated. Regularizations apply to situations recorded until the end of the pandemic in October 2021, with immediate action taken on new occupation attempts, totaling over 400, to curb the trend.

The PS's silence and subsequent vote against the proposal led to its rejection, drawing criticism from right-wing deputies. PSD's Luís Newton expressed outrage at the PS's stance, accusing them of acting against Lisbon residents' best interests. PS deputy José Leitão defended the party's position, arguing the Chega proposal did not align with the council's policy of legalizing illegal occupations for humanitarian and objective reasons.