The new document, which replaces the regulations in effect since 2018, was unanimously approved on 13 July during an extraordinary session of the Ourique Municipal Assembly; it will come into force the day after its publication in the Diário da República (the official gazette).

"With these regulations, the Municipality of Ourique now has a clearer, fairer, and more transparent tool to address the municipality's housing needs," stated Mayor Marcelo Guerreiro, as quoted in a press release.

The Socialist mayor added that "housing is essential for quality of life, social cohesion, and population retention," noting that the new regulations represent "another step toward ensuring concrete solutions for those in need of decent housing."

In the statement, the Ourique Municipality explained that the new Municipal Housing Regulation, part of its Local Housing Strategy, defines the rules for access and selection for the allocation of municipal homes under both subsidised and affordable rental schemes.

The municipality states that "subsidised rental is intended for households facing economic and housing hardship, with rent calculated based on the household's specific situation."

Meanwhile, affordable rental "targets middle-income households facing difficulties accessing the rental market, featuring rent adjusted to monthly net income."

Under this framework, housing allocation "will be carried out through a competitive process, using classification and ranking criteria that allow for the assessment of candidates' housing, social, and economic circumstances."