Lisbon has already blocked almost 400 new local accommodations

Since the ban on new local accommodation registrations came into effect in Lisbon on November 1st of last year (and at least until October 31st), the municipality has already expressed its opposition to 398 applications . Since the end of last year, 273 illegal local accommodations have also been detected, a situation reported to the Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE). These figures were released this Saturday by Público , based on data from the Lisbon City Council.

In statements to this newspaper, the city council emphasized that "it is not possible to determine" whether the local accommodations operating without registration "were already operating before the suspension came into effect." In other words, "it can only be confirmed that they were operating illegally." Furthermore, the council also stated that it is evaluating the results of the public consultation, which concluded in April, on the new Municipal Regulation for Local Accommodation (RMAL). The process was supposed to have concluded at the end of last month but has not yet been completed.

"The contributions received during the public consultation are being considered with a view to drafting the proposed amendment to the regulations, which will then be submitted to a council meeting for approval, and then forwarded to the Municipal Assembly for deliberation," said Lisbon City Council, without providing a specific date.

The general outline of the new regulation was presented in March, and the document is expected to prohibit new local accommodation units throughout the parishes of Santa Maria Maior, Arroios, Estrela, Avenidas Novas, Alcântara, São Vicente, Santo António, and Misericórdia. This is because local accommodation accounts for more than 5% of family housing in these parishes.

Based on the same principle, a total restriction should be established in another 19 neighborhoods located in the parishes of Ajuda, Alvalade, Belém, Campo de Ourique, Penha de França, Beato, Marvila and Parque das Nações.