Construction begins on 28 affordable rental houses in Portimão

Construction has officially begun on a new development of 28 affordable rental homes in Portimão, marking the latest stage of the municipality’s efforts to expand its public housing stock.

The project, located in the Bairro do Pontal neighbourhood, entered the construction phase after the contract was formally handed over to the contractor on June 22. Site preparations are now underway, with work expected to take 396 days – just over 13 months – to complete.

Backed by an investment of more than €5 million, the development is funded through Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) under the government’s 1.º Direito (First Right) Housing Programme.

The scheme will provide 28 homes for supported rental housing, comprising one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a community centre.

The development forms part of Portimão Municipal Council‘s Local Housing Strategy, which aims to increase the supply of public housing, rehabilitate existing municipal properties and address growing housing needs across the municipality.

Portimão mayor Álvaro Bila said the start of construction represented another milestone in the council’s long-term housing plans.

“The start of this project marks another step in delivering the municipality’s Local Housing Strategy. What was, for a long time, just a project is now taking shape on the ground through an investment that responds to a real need in the municipality.”

He added that the development would increase the supply of supported rental housing and help improve living conditions for many local families.

The Bairro do Pontal project is one of several housing initiatives being developed by the municipality as it seeks to strengthen the public housing response amid continued demand for affordable homes.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.