The Housing and Development Association For Portugal (AHDPP) was officially presented on Tuesday, September 15, at the Portugal Pavilion in Lisbon. The non-partisan, non-profit association is composed of professionals, academics, and specialists from different areas, and positions itself as a platform for thought, analysis, and civic action dedicated to the housing sector.
The association's main focus is affordable rental housing for the middle class and young people, proposing a model that involves private investors and municipalities to scale up new construction and the rehabilitation of vacant properties. The AHDPP's premise is that "housing is not a sector, it is a foundation," defending a "fair rent" where no one should pay more than one third of their income for a roof.
The association's president, Rui Miguel Braga, also vice-president of the Barreiro Municipal Council, guaranteed that many private partners are interested in the proposed model, as long as profitability is released. The association believes that local authorities should intervene directly to manage the housing stock and release land, proposing reforms to reduce administrative bottlenecks and accelerate urban planning and licensing processes.
The State Secretary for Housing, Patrícia Gonçalves Costa, congratulated AHDPP for going beyond identifying the problem and taking the next step. The association will now present its solution to the Government and the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, hoping that within five years, families can live in apartments paying rents that the average salary can sustain.
