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One of the buildings in question is on Avenida Visconde de Valmor
Sales are also being criticized for being carried out at prices well below market value.
The Government reaffirmed its intention to continue with the sale of several unoccupied state properties after the concentration of ministries and public services in a single space, rejecting criticism and calls for the conversion of these buildings into affordable housing.
The controversy centers on 16 public properties placed on the marketof which nine are located in Lisbon. Critics of the government strategy argue that the properties could be integrated into the Public Housing Property Exchange, helping to alleviate the housing crisis in the capital. According to estimates cited in the debate, the set of buildings would have the potential to accommodate around 450 homes.
Another criticism relates to the values obtained from sales already made. Opponents consider that the properties were sold below market prices. The building on Avenida Visconde de Valmor was sold for around 3284 euros per square meter, while the median value of housing transactions in that area is around 5366 euros. The building on Rua Filipe Folque was sold for 3,072 euros per square meter, below the local median value of 6,104 euros, says the .
The Government rejects, however, the idea that the properties were sold “at a bargain price”. In response to questions asked by the PCP, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing guarantees that prices were defined based on independent assessments.
The Executive also maintains that many of the buildings would require conversion operations, licensing and significant investment to be transformed into housing, which is why cannot be directly compared with residential properties already completed and available on the market.
This position is contested by architects and housing experts, who argue that some of the properties already have characteristics compatible with housing use and would only require limited interventions to accommodate residents.
Despite the controversy, the Government considers that there is no basis to suspend sales or to open audits or investigations into the processes already carried out.
