Comporta's Development Challenges: Permanent Home

With the development of various projects along the Alentejo coast, our region is currently faced with a very critical and strategic problem in terms of sustainable development in order to create a destination of choice: permanent housing for locals and for those who come from outside to meet the needs of skilled labour, the search for professional development opportunities and the launch of new business opportunities that do not exist in the current context.

Housing for permanent local residents and for those who come from abroad to answer to the growing need of specialized skilled workers and for those who come looking for new business and career opportunities are lacking in this current context. We are presently noticing the relocation of migrant workers in our country because they are attracted by new job opportunities which better there life’s and living conditions for them and their families as well as new business opportunities for young investors looking to start up various new projects .

That's why it's crucial to think about, analyse and implement a medium and long-term strategy for creating permanent housing. And how would this be possible? Here are some ideas and suggestions:

• The expansion of the perimeter of towns, villages and city limits. Creating subdivided lots for sale, for real estate promoters and for construction companies as well. Places like Albergaria ,Santa Margarida da Serra, Montevil, Aldeia da Justa, Santa Catarina Roncão, Cruz de João Mendes ,São Francisco da Serra could all be considered for these housing projects since they are all in the periphery of Alcácer do Sal ,Grândola , Santiago de Cacém, all of which are at an acceptable distance from the Alentejo coastline at the same time creating small communities;

• Creating in the actual urban limits or future limits considered by PDM‘s of each municipality (county), urban areas or subdivisions for sale to local residents at competitive and market prices;

• Obligatory for large tourist projects to build a percentage of housing for workers which reside in the area at affordable prices;

• Housing at controlled affordable prices that are acquired, built or financed by the government which in turn will benefit from property taxes and rentals;

• Reenforcement of municipal work force in regards to urban planning to help with supply and demand all within the existing by laws;

• Reenforce and raise actual promotional incentives of ARU (urban rehabilitation areas);

• Fiscal incentives from the IRS and IMI for families moving to the area.

Of course this topic raises other important questions regarding infrastructures which will be necessary like, Communications, education, sewage systems, energy, public transportation, public services and other essential services that we will speak about in our next article.

The conclusion we can draw is that, with the creation of thousands of new jobs, there is a need to define a medium/long-term strategy to respond to the underlying problem before its lack has implications for the realisation of the start-up of the tourism offer.