The proposal, signed by the three socialist councilors in the Lisbon City Council, was approved with the votes of the PS, Left Bloc, Citizens for Lisbon, and Livre, the abstention of the Communist Party, and the vote against by the New Times coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança).

The main objective of the proposal is for tenants over 65 years of age to be more protected from a possible eviction situation, providing that they may come to enjoy "legal support in matters related to housing".

The proposal also provides that the municipality may assume, "after prior analysis by the services, the contractual position of the tenant and that the Council carry out a market consultation, within the scope of the Renda Segura Program, to provide housing for people over 65 whose income is within the limits defined for the Affordable Rent Program".

"In these cases, the amount to be charged by the municipality in the sublease may not exceed an effort rate of 25%", they say.

Contacted by Lusa, the Councilor for Housing, Filipa Roseta, criticized the proposal, considering it "unfair, illegal, and ineffective".

"It is unfair because it does not have an income limit. The income limit is very high. It can go up to 50 thousand euros per year. It is illegal because this is not possible in the law, that the Council can replace the tenant without the landlord's approval. It is ineffective because they continue with these laws of coercive rent. They want to undermine confidence in the rental market", she stressed.

As an alternative, the New Times coalition presented a proposal, which will be discussed at the next Council meeting, and which aims to approve the extraordinary affordable rent competition for low-income seniors.

"At the initiative of the Housing Department, two extraordinary competitions specifically dedicated to those with low incomes were approved at a Council meeting, mobilizing a total of 90 municipal houses for this purpose", can be read in the proposal, to which the Lusa agency had access.

The executive of the Lisbon City Council, composed of 17 members, includes seven elected members of the New Times coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança) -- the only ones with assigned portfolios and who govern without an absolute majority --, three from the PS, two from the PCP, three from Citizens For Lisbon (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), one from Livre, and one from the Left Bloc.

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