Socialist Party leader calls for “humanism and social sensitivity” in resolving precarious housing issues

PS Secretary General José Luís Carneiro said today that he understands the difficulties faced by local authorities facing precarious constructions, but calls for balanced solutions “with humanism and social sensitivity” in resolving disputes.

Speaking to Lusa news agency, following the court ruling that prevented Loures council from demolishing homes in the Talude Militar neighborhood in Loures, José Luís Carneiro considered that “illegal construction is not a solution to housing problems.”

"The Socialist Party understands the difficulties faced by municipalities where precarious structures are installed, especially in terms of compliance with the law and their responsibility for the physical safety of people. However, it believes that solutions must always be thoughtful, balanced, and focused on resolving the problem, with humanism and social sensitivity. This ensures dignity, particularly for the most fragile and vulnerable," he argued.

For the socialist leader, "the government and the ministries of social security and housing have a duty not to turn a blind eye to the difficulties that mayors in metropolitan areas are facing today and again."

The PS secretary-general's statements to Lusa come a day after the Lisbon District Administrative Court ruled, in a ruling consulted by Lusa, that the Loures City Council, presided over by socialist Ricardo Leão, is "prevented from carrying out the act of demolition" of houses in the Talude Militar neighborhood.

The court “provisionally accepted the precautionary measure to suspend the effectiveness of an administrative act” – that is, housing demolitions – filed by a lawyer representing 14 residents of the neighborhood.

The court considers that "the situation of special urgency has been verified", ordering notification of its decision "immediately and as expeditiously as possible", and also recalls that "the precautionary process is an urgent process", giving the municipality a period of 10 days to contest the decision, "without prejudice to the ruling".

In the request for precautionary measures, the 14 residents and their families – which include two sick people, seven children and a pregnant woman – state that they are “at risk of becoming homeless and homeless” and “have no housing alternative”.

According to the lawyer representing the residents, on Monday, "houses covered by precautionary measures were demolished," and she will therefore file a criminal complaint against the municipality, "for crimes of abuse of power and damage," and demand that the affected people be compensated.