The Regional Implementing Decree no.15/2015/A that regulates the Regional Legislative Decree no.23/2009/A of December 16 establishing the house leasing support scheme, amended by the Regional Legislative Decree no.16/2014/A of September 1, was published today in the Official Gazette.

With this programme, the Regional Government has already allowed access of approximately 1,500 Azorean families to permanent housing with adequate conditions over five years of implementation.

Taking into consideration the experience gained with the implementation of this house leasing support scheme, the Regional Government has decided to introduce some adjustments, particularly in terms of the access conditions and the possibility of renewing the applications for lease incentives beyond the five years initially defined under the previous scheme.

The Regional Implementing Decree no.15/2015/A of August 12 stipulates the maximum amount of authorised lease, the financial support model, the ranks, the percentages and the increase of support. Furthermore, the legal document defines the ranking criteria of applications and the documents necessary for the submission of applications.

The regulations will establish the criteria for the allocation of houses to families in situation of severe housing shortage as well as to extend, for a new application period, the financial support to the beneficiaries who have reached the five-year period under this lease incentive scheme.

Besides this major amendment, which will provide families with the opportunity to improve their financial independence, the rules introduced to the financial model are fairer, being in line the socio-economic characteristics of the beneficiary families.
 
These amendments demonstrate that the Regional Government is aware of the needs and difficulties of Azorean families.

Their implementation will allow the Government to continue supporting families and extending these measures to more families, which also revitalise the real estate market, namely the rental market.