Government bolsters support for self-build projects on private land or land granted by the Region to reduce burden on Azoreans seeking their first home
Government bolsters support for self-build projects on private land or land granted by the Region to reduce burden on Azoreans seeking their first home
Vila Franca do Campo
Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego
The Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, Maria João Carreiro, signed today the acceptance certificate for the servicing of nine plots in the Galega housing development in Ribeira das Tainhas, Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel Island, an investment of over half a million Euros financed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The new plots will be awarded through a public tender to be launched in the first quarter of this year and are intended for the construction of private permanent housing.
During the ceremony, the government official emphasised that the completion of this public investment "represents not only the efficient implementation of the RRP but also, above all, the fulfilment of the political commitment to promote decent housing at prices compatible with household income."
With this in mind, the Regional Government is promoting an integrated investment that combines increased public supply with stronger support programmes, namely through the lease with purchase option scheme, expanding the range of eligible applicants for land allocation and increasing support for self-build projects for first homes.
"The aim is to reduce the burden on families, including middle-class families and young people, because owning a house cannot be a dream – it must once again become a plan," stated Maria João Carreiro.
According to the Regional Secretary, “no other Regional Government has put as much public effort into public housing as the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition Government.”
In the case of the serviced plots provided by the Region for the construction of private permanent housing, the maximum income coefficients for applicants have been revised for 2026. The new criteria now include, for example, a young couple with two children and a gross monthly income of €3,100 or a young couple with one child and a gross monthly income of €2,850.
Also for 2026, the Regional Government has created a support scheme in the form of non-repayable financial aid for the acquisition of architectural and specialist projects up to a maximum amount of €5,000 per beneficiary for the construction of permanent housing on private or serviced plots granted by the Region.
Regarding the programme to support self-build projects on private land or land provided by the Region, the Azorean Government has also introduced changes not only to reduce the burden on Azoreans in accessing their first home, but also to mobilise complementary solutions to promote public and private housing.
Support for self-build projects has increased by 25%. This change, which took effect on January 1 of this year, means that the support granted could reach €75,000, up from the previous maximum of €60,000 that was available until December 31, 2025. The amount of support provided will depend on the household size and income, as well as the type of dwelling being built.
"We are working to ensure that the largest ever investment in public housing in the Region, with EU and regional funding, makes a difference in people's lives," Maria João Carreiro reiterated, pointing out that in Vila Franca do Campo, alone, more than €3.6 million is being invested in housing, including 38 new housing solutions.
Among these new solutions, in addition to the Galega housing development, is the Foros Sol Mar housing development in the parish of São Pedro, which will provide 23 new apartments (four one-bedroom, nine two-bedroom and ten three-bedroom apartments) on a lease with purchase option scheme.
The ceremony was attended by, among other guests, the President of the Vila Franca do Campo Municipal Assembly, Flávio Pacheco; the Councillor of the Vila Franca do Campo Town Council, José Eduardo Costa; the Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Azores, Eugénia Leal; the President of the Parish Council of Ribeira das Tainhas, Carla Vieira; the Regional Director for Housing, Daniel Pavão, and representatives of the companies Norma Açores, Gabinete 118 and Albano Vieira.
