The Socialist Party (PS) in Portugal is working to reverse recent changes to local accommodation (AL) laws. PS leaders feel that these changes make it easier for properties to be rented to tourists but they are too radical. They believe this law will make it harder for residents to find affordable housing especially during the current housing crisis.

PS deputy Maria Begonha recently spoke about this issue in parliament. She argued that the new rules feel like a step back. Begonha explained that these changes undo what PS tried to achieve when they were in power. PS believes that the new law allows the AL sector too much freedom which can hurt the balance between housing for locals and tourist rentals.

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Why PS Party Opposes The New Local Accommodation Law?

PS feels that the new law has changed the careful balance they tried to create under their previous Mais Habitação (More Housing) plan. Their goal with this plan was to keep the AL sector from growing too fast. Begonha pointed out that Portugal’s housing market cannot handle rapid changes. PS believes that opening up local accommodation during the current crisis will only make things worse for residents.

She said:

We hope that the Government can understand that it needed to moderate its proposal, we are not waiting for the Government to agree with us that it was necessary to tear up these changes they made

Begonha stressed that PS’s objections are not about criticizing tourism itself. But they want to ensure local residents can find housing. She added that the current government has a right-wing majority but its views are not reflecting what the country needs most.

She added:

It will make the Government understand that it has a right-wing majority, but it does not have a majority in the country

Impact Of Local Accommodation On Housing Crisis

Portugal has faced a serious housing crisis. Rents and home prices are rising quickly and many people struggle to find affordable homes. The AL sector which includes short-term rentals like Airbnb has grown rapidly. This has led many property owners to convert their units into short-term rentals which reduced the availability of long-term homes for locals.

Begonha said:

One of the central measures of ‘Mais Habitação’ were the restrictions on local accommodation, which had one of the most liberalised regimes in Europe, which removed the supply of houses

When PS was in power, they added rules to slow the growth of the AL sector. These rules aimed to reduce competition between short-term tourist rentals and homes for residents. PS limited short-term rental licenses and enforced regulations. They hoped these limits will make housing easier to find for local residents while still supporting tourism.

The Government Push To Expand Short-Term Rentals

These rules make it easier for property owners to offer short-term rentals and remove some of the restrictions that PS had put in place. PS also criticized the new law for taking decision-making power away from condominium owners.

This means that owners in apartment buildings have less say if their neighbors want to turn their units into short-term rentals. Begonha explained that this change can make the housing market less stable as more properties turn into tourist rentals in residential areas.

She emphasized:

What it did was understand that with the excessive growth of local accommodation, it was necessary to restore the balance

PS’s Aim To Balance Tourism And Local Accommodation

Begonha stressed that PS has always tried to balance tourism with the need for local housing. She stated that PS does not oppose the idea of local accommodation but feels that the AL sector’s rapid growth threatens people’s right to housing.

She said:

Pause to breathe and say: given the disproportionate growth, given the reality of the housing crisis we needed to pause, restrict access to local accommodation, regulate access to create a balance between tourism and the right to housing 

Begonha explained that the Mais Habitação rules gave the housing market a chance to pause and breathe. They believe that these limits helped to protect local communities and kept housing accessible.

Begonha stressed that PS does not want to end local accommodation. Instead, they want to prevent it from taking over too much of the housing market. PS believes that the original restrictions were necessary to maintain balance in the housing market and to protect residents from rising rents and property prices.

She concluded:

Our objective is to start a debate that will, unfortunately, have few surprises, but in the hope that the Government can understand that this is an excessively radical measure to reopen and liberalise accommodation in the face of the housing crisis

Begonha also hopes that this public discussion will make more people aware of the housing crisis and its impact. She said PS is hopeful that many will see the importance of prioritizing housing for residents.