“There is too much time being spent with bureaucracy and people need a response. We have solidity, financial and debt capacity, we have room to go to the bank and obtain resources to buy more houses”, said the mayor.

These houses will be built on municipal and private land.

Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the construction sites of two developments being built in the parish of Madalena, which are also intended for affordable rentals, both within the national programme known as 1.º Direito.

The visit served to sign a protocol with construction companies and to see the progress of the works on two buildings, with 36 units, which should be ready in 2025.

In total, including works that have already started and others in the design phase spread across several parishes, Gaia expects to have, under the 1.º Direito, an investment of 143 million euros, of which protocols worth 63 million euros were signed today for 318 homes.

Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues also revealed that in September a notice will be issued for the entire municipality for the construction of housing at controlled costs, the latter for sale.

“The risk is entirely on the private sector's side. The Council will not receive a single cent in taxes and will monitor the sale using the Municipality's social criteria”, said the mayor who, during the ceremony, praised the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz.