The Government of the Azores received, through the Regional Directorate for Housing, 588 applications to the Lease Incentive Programme. The application period took place between August 1 and September 15.

The applications submitted will be subject to consideration. As usual in the procedures carried out in previous year, it is estimated that the financial aid will be granted to the requests meeting eligibility requirements from February 2016.

Under this programme, the Regional Government currently supports more than 1,100 families in a monthly pubic investment over 200 thousand Euros.

The amount of support can reach 70% of the maximum amount of authorised lease in accordance with the socio-economic characteristics of each family.

Under this programme, created by the Azorean Government, the support allocated to families will be increased in the case of rented property located on the islands of Santa Maria, Graciosa, São Jorge, Flores and Corvo. Moreover, single-parent families and families with children and disabled members will also benefit from increased support.

The rules of the "Families with Future" programme have been recently amended, providing families who have reached the fiver-year limit with the possibility to extend their applications for a new application period; hence, they will have a new period to achieve financial independence. The programme introduced new rules in the financial model that are fairer and better adapted to the socio-economic characteristics of the beneficiaries.

With this measure, the Government of the Azores aims to contribute to the improvement of the housing conditions of Azorean families, through the access to adequate housing in accordance with their income, and to the financial independence of beneficiaries. It also provides a stimulus to the regional housing market.