Speakers
Description
The evolution of social housing in Braga, city located in Portugal, presents a compelling case study of how medium-sized European cities navigate housing challenges amid rapid urban growth and market pressures. This paper results of a collaboration between academics and the municipality and examines the trajectory and current state of social housing in Braga over the past three decades (1974-2024), revealing how urban planning decisions, policy frameworks, and market dynamics have shaped the city's housing landscape. Despite experiencing population growth rates exceeding both national and regional averages since 2001, Braga's social housing stock remains limited, comprising just 1,2% of the city's 88.623 dwellings - notably below Portugal's national average of 3%.
The analysis identifies three distinct periods that have defined Braga's social housing development. The first period (1974-2000) was characterized by rapid urbanization and the construction of social housing neighbourhoods. While these developments responded to urgent housing needs, their peripheral locations and inadequate integration with urban infrastructure created conditions for social exclusion. This period demonstrates how spatial planning decisions can inadvertently reinforce socio-economic segregation, a challenge that continues to impact urban cohesion today.
The second period (2000-2008) marked an institutional shift with the creation of BragaHabit, the municipal housing company, in 1999, and emphasized urban rehabilitation through programs such as PROHABITA, although these efforts coincided with a real estate boom that complicated affordable housing initiatives. The subsequent period (2008-2017) witnessed intensifying gentrification pressures, particularly in the historic centre, highlighting the tensions between urban revitalization and social inclusion.
Currently, Braga faces unprecedented challenges in its housing sector. Market pressures have driven rental prices above 400 euros in many areas, contributing to spatial displacement of middle and low-income residents from central areas. The severity of the situation is reflected in a dramatic 373% increase in social housing applications between 2021 and 2023, from 81 to 383 applicants. This surge occurs against a backdrop of persistent challenges in existing social housing estates, where physical degradation and social stigmatization continue despite municipal intervention through programs like the Integrated Action Plan for Disadvantaged Communities (PAICD).
Looking forward, Braga's municipal authorities have outlined ambitious plans to address these challenges, targeting the construction of 700 new housing units annually to accommodate projected demographic growth beyond 200,000 residents in the coming decade. The strategy emphasizes rehabilitation of existing stock, particularly within designated Urban Rehabilitation Areas, leveraging national programs such as First Right and the National Fund for the Rehabilitation of Built-Structures. Notably, the municipality is pursuing innovative approaches, including private sector partnerships to expand affordable housing opportunities and the implementation of compensatory equalization mechanisms in the Municipal Master Plan to ensure more equitable urban development.
The research is integrated in DASH project (Deliver sAfe and Social Housing) financed by Marie Curie Staff Exchange program, which aims to generate new ideas to promote more sustainable and safer housing, and how to convert these new ideas into concrete housing products, processes and/or services. This project seeks to gain a holistic understanding of social housing systems and, by analysing legal frameworks, prices, accessibility, ownership and financing models, aims to develop innovative and sustainable housing solutions.
This paper contributes to urban planning discourse by demonstrating how historical planning decisions, institutional frameworks, and market forces interact to shape housing outcomes in growing medium-sized cities. It highlights the critical importance of integrating social housing initiatives with broader urban planning strategies, particularly in contexts of rapid growth and market pressure. The Braga case offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers grappling with similar challenges in medium-sized European cities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive approaches that balance physical rehabilitation, social inclusion, and market dynamics.
| Keywords | Affordable Housing; Housing Policy; Urban Planning; Municipal Governance; Housing Market |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
