CML and Gebalis invest 40 million in 11 municipal districts

Presented in February, a Municipal Housing Charter defines the city of Lisbon's policy in this sector and Taking care of municipal districts is one of the main priorities of Carlos Moedas and Councilwoman Filipa Roseta. There are 69 neighborhoods managed by the municipality through its company Gebalis. And 11 neighborhoods will be redeveloped by 2026 under the new initiative Better Living. The investment will amount to 40 million euros.

These 40 million will be gradually transferred from the City Council to Gebalis as part of the program contract approved in June 2022first by the municipal executive and then by the Municipal Assembly. Filipa Roseta told the municipal deputies at the time that this was the "largest contract program made in this format". "Objectively, it's really the biggest. There has been no achievement with 40 million in a whole, it doesn't exist."mentioned.

The value consecrated in this contract-program will be channeled to necessary structural rehabilitation of 11 Lisbon municipal districts, namely the districts of 2 de Maio, Açucenas, Alfinetes, Boavista, Bom Pastor, Condado, Flamenga, João Nascimento Costa, Padre Cruz, Rego and Telheiras Sul. Of the 40 million, 23 will be to recover already inhabited units; the remaining 17 million will be to rehabilitate 740 units that are empty. "This is a very important fact: we are able to empower Gebalis to recover the liabilities of the empty fractions, the empty dwellings that people object so much when they walk around the neighborhoods and see empty everywhere"Roseta explained in the Assembly last year.

The Lisbon City Hall and Gebalis are communicating this investment in the municipal districts through the new "hat Better Livingwhich replaces the previous program Here There's More NeighborhoodThis investment was made through different program contracts and not a single contract, as Moedas and Roseta are now doing. In fact, the first programme contract of this kind between Lisbon City Hall and Gebalis was signed in 2015 in the amount of 25 million eurosThe contract provided for priority improvement, conservation and maintenance interventions in 21 neighborhoods. The contract allowed Gebalis to have funds from the municipality to execute the then Integrated Program for the Requalification of Lisbon's Municipal NeighborhoodsThis was authored by Councilwoman Paula Marques, who was in charge of Housing in Lisbon until 2021.

In 2016the existing program contract with Gebalis was adjusted with a change in the distribution of the annual investment values; e, at the end of 2017The deadlines have again been revised and extended to 2020. In 2018the Chamber signed a new contract-program with the municipal company for intervene in nine neighborhoods, until 2021, with 27 million euros. In 2019, a new contract, this time for only 1.4 million for a specific neighborhood, Bairro das Furnas, in São Domingos de Benfica. The current contract-program is Filipa Roseta's first but the fourth concluded between the municipality and Gebalis, having been unanimously approved by all the councilors of the executive and by a majority in the Municipal Assembly.

85 million package on the way

The new initiative Better Living was presented last June 6th at the Bairro dos Alfinetes, in Marvilawill be the first one to be intervened. It will be followed by Bairro Padre Cruz, in Carnide, and Bairro da Boavista, in Benfica. The program includes structural work on roofs, facades and common spaces, offering greater architectural harmony, safety, comfort, and better living conditions for residents. Also planned are interventions in more than 200 elevators, one of the main complaints of the residents.

When preparing the Municipal Housing Charter, the municipality identified 13 150 families in municipal districts in undignified conditions. In these neighborhoods, managed by Gebalis, it is estimated that 160 million euros will be needed to solve these shortages. Carlos Moedas announced in March, a new package of 85 million euros to add to the 40 million already guaranteed until 2026; according to the Mayor, these 85 million euros are part of the PRR - Recovery and Resilience PlanGovernment, through the program 1st Rightand also part of the Lisbon City Hall. The 85 million in additional investment will force the municipality to sign a new program-contract with Gebalis.

Created in 1995, Gebalis is responsible for managing the rental of Lisbon's municipal housing, in 69 neighborhoods, more than 21,844 houses, where 61,400 people live - that is, about 10% of the population of Lisbon. Currently, the municipal company has 10 local intervention offices and two more service counters in the Marvila and Saldanha citizen's stores, having carried out in 2022 approximately 3,900 community actions, about 4,500 home visits, and more than 91,000 consultations in person, by telephone and by e-mail. Also last year, 327 fractions were rehabilitated.