The Government of the Azores signed today a protocol of cooperation with Lajes das Flores Town Hall and Cáritas to finance the rehabilitation works of two houses inhabited by needy families, including elderly people without capacity to manage the support allocated and carry out the necessary interventions.
 
Under the programme to support the recovery of degraded housing, the Government grants 40 thousand Euros, while the Lajes das Flores Town Hall will allocate its own resources, amounting to 10 thousand Euros, namely labour, machinery and some building materials. It is also required to collaborate with beneficiary families in the streamlining of licensing procedures. In turn, Cáritas will ensure the proper implementation of the necessary works; the latter are intended to provide the minimum conditions in terms of safety, hygiene and housing comfort.
 
At the ceremony, the Regional Director for Housing pointed out that the signing of partnerships with public and private institutions has been the path taken by the Government so that, with the same allocation of resources, we may reach more families and improve their housing conditions, thus contributing to the recovery of dwellings and maintain families in their area of residence.
 
These partnerships are also critical to ensure the proper application of public funds. In this regard, Carlos Faias stressed that the sums involved in this housing investment are the allocated from the taxes paid by the Azorean people.
 
During this legislative period, the Government has benefited a total of 550 houses with an investment over 2.5 million Euros, involving more than eighty partners, namely municipalities, village councils and charities like the "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" or "Casa do Povo."
 
Furthermore, the Regional Government has invested 900 thousand Euros in several housing support programmes on the Western Group islands, benefiting one hundred families.
 
Of this amount, about 85% corresponds to support allocated to families living on the island of Flores.