The search for public municipal housing in the Greater Porto area has risen by 29% over the past two years. The increase in demand includes both young people and pensioners with low incomes who are losing their homes.
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Since 2021, the average purchase price for homes in Portugal has risen by over 70%, while rental prices have increased by nearly 50%.
Banks operating in Portugal report that government housing rules and tax measures significantly boosted demand for mortgages between mid-2024 and the first quarter of 2026. During this same timeframe, house prices rose at double the rate of previous periods, while both the IMF and the Bank of Portugal have expressed criticism of these government interventions.
The 'Acampada do Porto' movement is demanding that the municipal government transition all its housing stock to social rents (based on income) and revise access criteria, which they claim are illegal and exclude residents unfairly. They also call for coercive measures against vacant properties and the revocation of Local Accommodation (AL) licenses in residential buildings to lower housing costs.