Portuguese Government Announces Sale of 16 State Properties to Finance Public Housing
The Portuguese Government has officially determined the sale of 16 state-owned buildings and land plots to generate funds for public housing policies. The resolution, published in the Diário da República on Thursday, specifies that the assets are located in Lisbon, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Felgueiras, Marco de Canaveses, and Matosinhos. Among the properties to be alienated is the prominent former headquarters of the Council of Ministers in Lisbon. This move follows an announcement made in September during a cabinet meeting focused on housing, where an initial list of nine Lisbon-based properties was disclosed. The full list now confirms the inclusion of assets in the Porto district.
The primary objective of this policy is to place vacant or underutilized properties held by the State and its real estate management company, ESTAMO, onto the market. According to the official diploma, the assets can be repurposed for "housing or non-housing purposes, provided that the product of their alienation is destined for the financing of public housing policies." This initiative is a key part of the government's strategy to tackle the national housing shortage. The sale procedures are mandated to begin by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with a target for completion by the end of that year. Investors interested in these opportunities should be aware of the regulatory and legal frameworks governing such transactions.
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The base value for the sale of each property will be established by a joint dispatch from the ministers of Finance and Housing. This valuation will be informed by assessments from "at least, two independent and reputable entities." For properties currently occupied by public services, the resolution includes a clause allowing for their continued use, free of charge, until the end of 2027. This provision is designed to facilitate a smooth transition for government departments relocating to the new Campus XXI building in Lisbon. The list of properties in Lisbon includes nine buildings and a significant plot of land at Quinta das Conchinhas. According to the Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU), this site is slated for a development project featuring 168 housing units and over 4,000 square meters of commercial space.
Other notable Lisbon properties include former offices of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Health. In the Porto metropolitan area and surrounding municipalities, the assets include three lots in Póvoa de Varzim, the Quinta de Sergude estate in Felgueiras, the "Bouça das Cruzes" land in Marco de Canaveses, and properties on Rua do Cerco and Rua de Tirares in Porto's Campanhã parish. Additionally, buildings in Matosinhos on Rua de Carlos de Carvalho and Rua de Roberto Ivens are on the list. This measure is expected to attract significant interest from developers and investors focused on construction and urban regeneration. The full list provides a clear overview of the assets now designated for alienation as part of this major government initiative. Understand policy impacts on your Portugal property plans at realestate-lisbon.com.