Lisbon launches affordable housing scheme for residents over 60

Lisbon City Council is set to launch a new affordable housing programme aimed exclusively at residents aged 60 and over, in a move designed to help older people facing increasing difficulties in securing accommodation in the Portuguese capital.

The proposal will be presented at today’s municipal meeting and will open access to affordable rental housing for Lisbon residents whose annual household income falls between €6,445 and approximately €12,000.

Speaking to Diário de Notícias, Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas said the initiative seeks to support older residents who have been particularly affected by soaring rents and housing shortages.

“We cannot leave behind older people who, given current market conditions and housing prices, often struggle to find alternative accommodation,” he said.

Under the scheme, the maximum eligible household income will be €12,000 per year for the first adult in the household, with an additional allowance equivalent to half that amount for each extra adult. The minimum annual household income threshold has been set at €6,445.

City officials say the programme responds in part to the impact of Portugal’s urban rental laws, which provide additional protections for tenants aged 65 and over. These legal safeguards can limit landlords’ ability to terminate rental contracts in certain circumstances, creating challenges for some older residents seeking new housing options.

The initiative forms part of Lisbon’s wider efforts to expand access to affordable housing amid a prolonged housing crisis that has pushed rents and property prices to record levels.

source material: SIC Notícias

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.