In a district with 21 municipalities and a total of 424,973 inhabitants (2021), Almeirim, Coruche and Chamusca are the municipalities that are in the process of applying for the 1st Law program, with the Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU).

Of the collaboration agreements signed so far with the IHRU, Benavente, with a planned investment of 30.7 million euros (28 million guaranteed by the IHRU), aimed at providing decent housing to 357 households (888 people), is the one that presents the largest project in the district.

Carlos Coutinho (CDU), Mayor of Benavente, told Lusa that there are seven procedures in place to hire, by direct award, design offices, among the 11 selected under the international public tender launched by the Intermunicipal Community of Lezíria do Tejo (CIMLT).

In this competition, which can go up to 7.5 million euros, CIMLT selected 11 design offices and eight to review housing construction and rehabilitation projects, with the aim of accelerating procedures and allowing the six municipalities concerned (Almeirim, Benavente, Chamusca, Coruche, Rio Maior and Santarém) to take advantage of financing under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).

Taking into account that these funds, which only do not contemplate the values of VAT, they must be executed until 2026, "it is necessary not to waste time", with it being fundamental to have the possession of the land and housing that are to be acquired and the technical projects elaborated "for when the PRR notices come out", stressed to Lusa the executive secretary of CIMLT, Antonio Torres.

In the case of Benavente, the municipality proposes to acquire land for the construction of single-family (39) and collective (128) housing, as well as buildings for rehabilitation, both for collective (40) and family (24) social housing and for housing (15).

For Carlos Coutinho, "it is fundamental" for the IHRU to review the benchmark that determines the eligible investment, taking into account the current cost of construction per square meter, which presents a differential of about 30% in relation to what is considered by that institute.

At the other extreme, Mação is the municipality of the district of Santarém with the lowest value project, of the order of 607 thousand euros, providing for the provision of housing for 10 households (14 people), through the acquisition and rehabilitation of buildings.

In the collaboration agreements concluded, the amount shared by the IHRU is around 107 million euros, part non-repayable and part in subsidised loans, and the municipalities can go to get the money that is due to them from the PRR.

Alcanena was the first municipality in the district to enter into an agreement with the IHRU, in February 2021, and the executive elected (in the municipalities of September of that year) negotiated an addendum, in order to replace new construction exclusively with rehabilitation.

With the new agreement approved in September 2022, the Alcanena program went from 117 planned dwellings to 188, raising the investment from 8 to 14 million euros, exclusively for rehabilitation.

According to the municipality chaired by Rui Anastácio (PSD/CDS/MPT coalition), there are currently several projects underway to submit applications, in the short term, to the PRR.

The capital of the district, Santarém, has projects for lease, rehabilitation, construction and acquisition, in a planned investment of 18.9 million euros, 15.3 million of which are shared by the IHRU (8.8 million non-reimbursable and 6.4 million in subsidized loan), to respond to 288 households (655 people).

The mayor of Santarém, Ricardo Gonçalves (PSD), told Lusa that the municipality is negotiating the acquisition of housing in several parishes of the municipality, in a process that is not always easy, and moving forward with the preparation of projects, some to be carried out by the municipality's own services and others by the offices selected by CIMLT.

Abrantes wants to invest 9.3 million euros (7.4 million of which are shared by the IHRU), for the rehabilitation, acquisition and construction of a total of 99 houses (246 people), and Alpiarça proposes to invest in social housing and rehabilitation 5.2 million euros, 4.2 million of which are shared by the IHRU, for 44 households (83 people).

In Cartaxo, the program of 4.2 million euros (2.7 million IHRU) provides for investments in municipal housing, acquisition and rehabilitation of 41 dwellings (96 people), while Constância plans to invest about 1 million euros for the construction of six dwellings and thermal rehabilitation in about 20 municipal social housing dwellings.

The Entroncamento plan foresees an investment of 12.2 million euros (10.9 million guaranteed by the IHRU) in 184 dwellings (444 people) in social and rented neighborhoods, with Ferreira do Zêzere's investment of 2.5 million euros (2.2 million shared), aimed at meeting the needs of 27 households (62 people).

The municipality of Golegã contracted 2.2 million euros (2 million IHRU) for social housing and construction (45 households - 115 people), with the investment of Rio Maior (9.3 million euros, 3.6 million IHRU) intended for 88 dwellings (314 people), with Ourém foreseeing investments of more than 1.5 million euros, just for rehabilitation, to meet the needs of 48 households.

In Salvaterra de Magos, the municipality expects to invest 2.9 million euros (fully insured by the IHRU) in the acquisition and construction of 24 houses (91 people), with the Sardoal program (2.5 million euros, 2.3 million IHRU) for the rehabilitation of 52 dwellings (156 people).

Tomar wants to respond to the needs of 202 households (566 people) with an investment of 12.7 million euros (11.6 million IHRU) in rehabilitation, construction and acquisition, with the Torres Novas plan, of the order of 4.4 million euros, intended for rehabilitation (mostly), construction and acquisition, in a total of 40 dwellings (114 people), six of which, In the historic center, they are awaiting approval, and two direct beneficiaries, living in two villages in the county, have already seen their applications approved.

In Vila Nova da Barquinha, the plan covers 53 households (137 people), in an estimated investment of 3.1 million euros (2.9 million IHRU) for rehabilitation, construction and acquisition of land for construction.