The Government of the Azores has already invested in this legislative period over 16.4 million Euros in housing renewal. Of this amount, approximately 15 million Euros were invested between 2009 and 2011.

The data were provided on Friday by the Regional Secretary for Labour and Social Solidarity, Ana Paula Marques, after visiting some housing and urban renewal works in the municipality of Ponta Delgada on São Miguel island.

According to the government official, 990 cases have been supported since 2009, corresponding to an average support of 16,662 thousand Euros. This amount has increased to 20,390.00 Euros since January this year, which represents an increase of about four thousand Euros.

In the same period, the Regional Government has signed 23 contracts for housing renewal works in 32 houses across the archipelago and another 25 contract works are currently being prepared in order to substantially improve the housing conditions of families living in these houses, added the Regional Secretary.

Ana Paula Marques also noted that the Government’s "substantial investment” in housing renewal allows "maintaining jobs in the construction sector, preserving building heritage, tackling the abandonment of villages and improving the housing conditions of families."

Other initiatives undertaken by the Azorean Government include landscape renewal works, such as the case of the urban layout of Laranjeiras Garden in the village of São Pedro, Ponta Delgada, which was also visited by the Regional Secretary for Labour and Social Solidarity on Friday. This project corresponds to an investment over 234 thousand Euros.