747 applications received under the Porto Solidário support programme to target housing problems

Porto Solidário municipal programme received 747 applications between 19th January and 15th February. Thus far, 319 applications have been approved, of which 289 have already been granted support for a period of 24 months, worth 198.70 euros per application, on average. The analysis process is ongoing.

This programme is targeted at granting economic support to economic vulnerable households regarding house rent or purchase. This economic relief can go up to 350 euros per month. Besides the extended deadline to support rent and mortgage costs to 24 months, the programme also features a 25% reduction of the household effort rate as well as the possibility of beneficiaries applying again if the deadline is about to conclude, and the support is granted from the application date.

Also, 51% of the approved applications had already received support in previous editions of Porto Solidário, 96.6% of applicants live in a rented dwelling and only 3.4% has to pay a bank mortgage. Applications to Porto Solidário as regards households in the parishes of Porto are 22.5% from the União de Freguesias de Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau and Vitória, 21.9% from Paranhos, 19.6% from Campanhã and 17.7% from Bonfim.

Domus Social manages the Porto Solidário – Social Emergency Municipal Fund programme. Thus, the support payments will be processed by this municipal company, starting April 2021.

This 9th edition of the Porto Solidário programme takes on the budget allocation of 750 thousand euros, fully supported by the Municipality of Porto and it is essential to guarantee the right of housing to the most vulnerable households. Up until the present time, the Municipality of Porto has supported over 3.550 families, with a total of 8.595 million devoted to this support.

The programme was proposed by Rui Moreira during the electoral campaign in 2013. It was established in 2014 by proposition of Councillor Fernando Paulo. In total, this programme represented an investment by the Municipality of Porto of circa 5.9 million euros, essential to guarantee the right of housing to the most vulnerable households. Previously a 12 month support programme, it was later extended to 24 months.

Besides the extended deadline to support rent and mortgage costs to 24 months, the programme also features a 25% reduction of the household effort rate as well as the possibility of beneficiaries applying again if the deadline is about to conclude, and the support is granted from the application date.