Speaking to the Lusa agency, Vasco Ferraz said that, in addition to the renovation of the 37 houses, applications are underway for the renovation of “more than 106 houses, whose households were contacted by the municipality to join the program and eradicate poor housing in the municipality of Ponte de Lima”, in the district of Viana do Castelo.

The mayor of Ponte de Lima also added that “in addition to the 106 homes, the municipality also hopes to promote the renovation of another 50 houses”.

The renovation of homes will be supported “by non-refundable funds, with a financing rate of 100%, plus VAT, through the 1st Right program – Support Program for Access to Housing.

The application period for this program runs until March 2024.

The 1st Right aims to support the promotion of housing solutions for people who live in unworthy housing conditions and who do not have the financial capacity to bear the cost of access to adequate housing.

The “support for private investment, possible as a result of the approval of the Local Housing Strategy (ELH) of Ponte de Lima, promoted by the municipality, ensures technical support and acts as an interlocutor with the Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU ) to facilitate applications from direct beneficiaries of the municipality”.

Vasco Ferraz (CDS-PP) also mentioned that the chamber secured more than 3.2 million euros to benefit 91 housing units in social neighborhoods in two parishes.

In the neighborhood of Poça Grande, in the parish of Arcozelo, in the intervention included in the ELH, public investment exceeds 2.4 million euros to benefit a total of 71 homes.

In the urbanisation of Castelhão, in the parish of Freixo, the investment reaches 825 thousand euros.

According to Vasco Ferraz, the ELH of Ponte de Lima contemplates an investment of 7.3 million euros for the rehabilitation of around 70 homes”, a value that could be higher.

“Our intention is to reach 10 million euros and renovate a total of 180 and 190 homes”, said Vasco Ferraz.