Regional Government available to support housing cooperatives in increasing supply of affordable housing - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

The Regional Government is available to support housing cooperatives in the construction of new housing solutions that will not only increase the supply of properties in the Region but also make them available on the market at affordable prices.

This assurance was provided today by Maria João Carreiro, Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, at the laying of the foundation stone for infrastructure works on a plot located in the village of Rabo de Peixe, belonging to the "Nossa Vila, Nossa Casa" cooperative, where 16 new three-bedroom houses will be built at affordable prices.

With the support scheme for the construction of housing at affordable prices, the "Nossa Vila, Nossa Casa" cooperative benefited from a non-refundable financial grant of over 313 thousand Euros, plus VAT at the legal rate in force.

This amount ensures full funding for architectural and specialist projects as well as the construction and supervision work that is now beginning. It has a completion period of three months.

"At a time when access to housing is not easy, the contribution made by this cooperative is something that should be valued and replicated. We all benefit if more examples like this emerge in other municipalities and on other islands," she said.

Given this situation, the Azorean Government is promoting an integrated response that involves not only the Region but also the municipalities and housing cooperatives. It is allocating financial resources from the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Region to increase supply, ensure quality housing and prices compatible with the income of Azorean families and young people.

"Housing cooperatives can and should increasingly partner with the Region in the proper implementation and effective response required in terms of housing," she said.

According to Maria João Carreiro, the joint work of the various agents in the sector ‘multiplies results’ and the Government's support for initiatives launched by citizens and organised citizenship, such as cooperatives, "further projects the responses that need to be provided" to overcome difficulties in accessing housing.

Support available to housing cooperatives includes the provision of standard housing, land subdivision and infrastructure projects, the provision of serviced plots and unserviced land, and non-repayable financial contributions towards investments already made or to be made in the acquisition of land, its servicing, and corresponding studies and projects.

Other participants in the ceremony included Jaime Vieira, Mayor of the Rabo de Peixe Parish Council; Rui Tavares, President of “Nossa Vila, Nossa Casa” cooperative; André Pontes, representative of the Ribeira Grande Municipal Council; Daniel Pavão, Regional Director for Housing; and representatives of the cooperative's partner entities.