The Left Bloc (BE), on a visit to a housing cooperative at controlled costs, once again pointed the finger at housing policies in Madeira, considering that it makes perfect military sense to prohibit non-resident foreigners from buying houses in the Region.
“We know that the objective of this housing is to be more affordable for Madeirans, but the truth is that this is not happening. There are several complaints and it is even possible to see on rental websites that there are houses here that have already been bought and often even by foreigners who see housing in Madeira as a business to make a profit,” denounced Diogo Teixeira, 3rd candidate on the BE list.
The candidate referred to specific cases of housing inserted in cooperatives, where T1 apartments are being rented for values between 1,000 and 1,100 euros, while T2 apartments reach 1,300 euros. For BE, this reality is unacceptable, as it contradicts the principle of accessibility for the local population.
Diogo Teixeira argued that it is essential to limit and prohibit the purchase of real estate by foreigners who are not resident in Madeira. “We also heard Miguel Albuquerque talk about being against the prohibition or limitation of the purchase of a house by foreigners, but the Bloc thinks that it makes perfect sense to limit and prohibit non-resident foreigners from buying houses in Madeira,” he said.
The BE justifies this proposal with the growing phenomenon of real estate speculation, which is making housing a privilege for those with greater financial capacity, leaving Madeirans without viable solutions. “What we are seeing, as here and as in other places, is that they see Madeira and housing as a business opportunity and as a profit opportunity,” he pointed out.
Diogo Teixeira spared no criticism of Miguel Albuquerque, accusing him of not knowing the reality of the housing crisis. “It does not shock us that Miguel Albuquerque is against the ban on buying houses from non-resident foreigners, because he talks about housing as a real estate agency. He is not on the street with people knowing what the real face of the housing crisis is,” he criticized, reinforcing that the BE is in direct contact with the Madeirans and that it has received numerous complaints about frequent evictions.
For the BE, the housing crisis in Madeira is “radical,” leaving many people with no obvious housing alternatives. Therefore, Diogo Teixeira reaffirms the commitment to defend policies that guarantee accessibility to housing for those who live and work in the Region. “We want people, with the salary they receive, to be able to pay for their house, to be able to pay their rent. And it is impossible to do this as long as we have the intervention of people who see housing as a business,” he concluded.
“And it is necessary to remind the Government and the President of the Government that if there is a role that they should have and if there is a role for which they were elected, it is to defend the Madeirans and defend the interests of the Madeirans. Unfortunately, this is not happening because we know that they are committed to private interest and are committed to profiting and often the rights of Madeirans are completely left aside,” he denounces.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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