Coimbra. New Right promises 1,000 affordable homes

The New Right party candidate for Coimbra City Council, Tiago Martins, promised this Thursday to provide a thousand affordable homes by 2029, stricter monitoring and expropriation for public use in cases of risk or prolonged abandonment.

"We really want a thousand new homes (...). The goal is to have these homes available by 2029, public and cooperative housing, where around 500 vacant homes are rehabilitated," he said.

Speaking to the Lusa news agency, Tiago Martins said he was forced to agree with the candidate from the Avançar Coimbra coalition (Socialist Party/Free/PAN), Ana Abrunhosa, who put forward a similar proposal in the RTP3 debate.

“We truly believe we can do it and we take this as a concrete proposal, 500 vacant houses rehabilitated under Decree Laws 307/2009 and 95/2019,” he added.

The New Right candidate also advocated for "tax and technical incentives for those who rent at affordable prices," as well as "strict monitoring of vacant properties and formal notifications."

“It’s not just rigorous supervision, it’s formal notifications, whether for the start of a project or for the start of construction,” he explained.

For the candidate, in the event of risk or prolonged abandonment, the property must be expropriated for public utility purposes.

"Let's imagine a roof tile or a rock falls on a child. Who's going to take responsibility? Is it the City Council, or some inspector? It can't happen. In fact, there were cases in Coimbra, not long ago, of houses collapsing, and we can't just react when things happen."

Still in the housing area, it proposes the creation of a fast licensing desk, with a maximum period of 90 days for completion.

"We can't circumvent the law, and therefore, we must be forced to meet these deadlines and stand firm in this regard. We must stand firm while we are mayors, within our internal reach, and if that isn't possible, stand firm outside of Coimbra."

In addition to Tiago Martins, from the New Right party, the candidates for the elections on the 12th are the current president of the Chamber, José Manuel Silva, from the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition (PSD/IL/CDS/Nós, Cidadãos!/PPM/Volt/MPT); Ana Abrunhosa, from the Avançar Coimbra coalition (PS/Livre/PAN); Francisco Queirós, from the CDU (PCP/PEV coalition); José Manuel Pureza, from the Left Bloc; Maria Lencastre Portugal, from Chega; and Sancho Antunes, from ADN.

The current executive is made up of six members of the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition, four from the PS and one from the CDU.

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