The DRH is the body which studies, coordinates, supervises and executes housing measures in accordance with Regional Government objectives and in close collaboration with local authorities, public utility institutions and private entities or cooperatives, with the aim of providing better housing for local residents.

Article 31

Definition and powers

1 - The DRH is the body which studies, coordinates, supervises and executes housing measures in accordance with Regional Government objectives and in close collaboration with local authorities, public utility institutions and private entities or cooperatives, with the aim of providing better housing for local residents.

2 - The DRH is responsible for:

a) Studying, proposing and executing housing policy measures for the region;

b) Proposing uses for land classified as suitable for urban development and arranging for its acquisition, in close collaboration with the SAJNP, other regional directorates and local authorities, and subsequently arranging for its allocation in accordance with instructions it receives;

c) Studying and proposing measures aimed at restructuring the housing sector in the region, in order to meet requirements;

d) Collaborating with any entities which may propose to contribute towards executing the housing policy defined by the Regional Government on a permanent or temporary basis, especially municipal councils, voluntary organisations and non profit-making associations, to whom it may provide technical assistance and other forms of support defined by its superiors;

e) Proposing general compulsory or illustrative guidelines, coordinating initiatives introduced by various services, autonomous organisations and state companies and supporting the cooperative and business sectors operating in the area of housing;

f) Planning, fostering and collaborating in special programmes, projects or measures designed to renovate the housing stock;

g) Taking the necessary legal steps required to launch and execute purchase procedures for projects or the acquisition of goods and services;

h) Undertaking work which needs to be executed through public works departments;

i) Supervising regional work in the housing sector, either as a contractor or through the public works departments, in close collaboration with the various SRHE bodies;

j) Provisionally and definitively taking possession of various projects, in accordance with the authority delegated to it;

l) Issuing opinions on studies and projects associated with the services for which it is responsible, in order for decisions to be made on their approval;

m) In collaboration with the Azores Regional Statistics Service, taking stock of housing in the region and keeping this information up-to-date;

n) Promoting the elaboration of a regional housing plan;

o) Together with other services, promoting an analysis of housing legislation, with a view of making concrete proposals for further legislation;

p) Initiating and carrying out the preparations required to create the necessary measures through which housing policies may be introduced and implemented.

3 - The Regional Director of Housing has the delegated authority to represent the Autonomous Region of the Azores in any contracts which are associated with the service in question and may be substituted in the exercise of this delegated duty, when absent or indisposed, by a legally appointed substitute or any other regional director or similar individual within the SRHE appointed for this purpose in an Order issued by the Regional Secretary.

Article 32

Structure

The DRH is composed of:

a) The Housing Directorate (DSH);

b) The Projects and Infrastructures Directorate (DSPI);

c) The Department of Administration and Finance (DAF).

Article 33

Housing Directorate

The DSH is responsible for:

a) Implementing housing support programmes;

b) Gathering information and preparing for decision-making on applications for housing support;

c) Coordinating the public information service, in conjunction with the GRP;

d) Developing cooperative measures, specifically with local authorities and the various social partners, with the aim of responding to housing sector needs;

e) Collaborating in special fire recovery programmes;

f) Preparing and developing training sessions on improved use, hygiene and maintenance of housing;

g) Monitoring the execution and supervision of projects which receive official support;

h) Developing the necessary actions to optimise and correctly apply housing support and incentives schemes defined by the Regional Government;

i) Collaborating on the elaboration of proposals for new housing programmes or solutions or adapting or disseminating national programmes throughout the region;

j) Promoting surveys, studies and analysis of housing needs in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, with a view to adopting concrete housing policy measures which take into account the social context of specific situations;

l) Overseeing socioeconomic analysis on a case-by-case basis and accommodating it to the context of existing programmes;

m) Monitoring and supervising the use of support that has been granted, where appropriate;

n) Coordinating the assessment, selection and monitoring of poor housing, with a view to rehousing or inclusion in suitable schemes;

o) Coordinating the assessment, selection and monitoring of applications for plots for private building or the purchase of controlled-cost housing;

p) Ensuring that work is carried out in conjunction with the Institute for Social Work in situations where this is deemed necessary;

q) Participating in and cooperating with community-based multidisciplinary projects, with a view to ameliorating housing needs in the region;

r) Implementing any other measures or carrying out any other tasks it is allocated.

Article 34

Projects and Infrastructures Directorate

1 - The DSPI is responsible for:

a) Coordinating preliminary studies of regional housing needs in terms of growth indicators and proposing the necessary measures, in collaboration with public and private entities, particularly local authorities;

b) Overseeing the elaboration of new SRHE urban development programmes, preparations for sitting and infrastructure projects in collaboration with other services including other Regional Government departments, and their assessment and approval by municipal councils;

c) In close collaboration with SRHE external housing services, coordinating and supervising studies of housing stock requirements for each island in order to prepare an overall programme for the sector and draw up and execute urban development plans;

d) Managing project preparation and coordinating building work, whether contracted or executed through public works departments.

e) Executing any tasks and following any guidelines that may be allocated to it.

2 - The DSPI consists of:

The Works and Infrastructures Department (DOI);

The Studies and Projects Department (DEP).

Article 35

Works and Infrastructures Department

1 - The DOI is responsible for:

a) Executing new SRHE urban development projects;

b) Promoting the final design of new urban developments;

c) Preparing purchase procedures for projects, in conjunction with the SAJNP;

d) Undertaking work which needs to be executed through public works departments, specifically the establishment of infrastructures;

e) Executing any tasks and following any guidelines that may be allocated to it.

2 - The DOI consists of a Technical Section whose responsibilities include supervising work in its area, promoted either by the SRHE or other regional government departments or executed through a contractor or as public works.

Article 36

Studies and Projects Department

The DEP is responsible for:

a) Designing and elaborating projects for the aforementioned new SRHE urban developments;

b) Elaborating programmes for new SRHE urban developments, preparing sitting and infrastructure projects in collaboration with other services including other Regional Government departments, and preparing for their assessment and approval by municipal councils;

c) In close collaboration with SRHE external housing services, coordinating and supervising studies of housing stock requirements for each island in order to prepare an overall programme for the sector;

d) Executing any tasks and following any guidelines that may be allocated to it.

Article 37

Department of Administration and Finance

The DAF is responsible for:

a) Receiving, registering and distributing correspondence for the various DRH services;

b) Receiving, registering and expediting the correspondence of the various DRH services;

c) Organising and updating the files for all correspondence received or sent, and the main copy-machine;

d) Providing typing and reprographic services for the various DRH services;

e) Ensuring the efficient functioning of the archives and library of the various DRH services;

f) Ensuring that the inventory of DRH property and assets is kept up-to-date;

g) Ensuring a minimum supply of consumables required by the various DRH services;

h) Issuing, on its own initiative or through external services, technical opinions whenever requested by any of the DRH services;

i) Prior to decision-making, providing information on budgetary capacity for expenditure;

j) Providing the regional director, the directors of services and heads of departments with all the information required for the proper management of DRH plan and budget items;

k) Controlling expenditure within DRH plan and budget limits;

l) Issuing economic and financial opinions with a view to the proper management of DRH plan and budget funds;

m) Collaborating annually with the various DRH services to produce the DRH plan and budget;

n) Keeping accounts and compiling accounting data;

o) Book-keeping essential to the proper organisation of accounts;

p) Processing expenditure in accordance with documents that have been duly verified;

q) Performing all other tasks it is allocated.

Article 38

Department of Administration and Finance

The DAF consists of an Administrative and Financial Section which is responsible for producing, checking, registering, classifying, filing, processing, moving and expediting accounting and administrative documents relating to the work of the DAF, under the agreed terms.