# History of the housing struggle in Portugal, 1974 to today

> From the 1974 occupations and SAAL to Article 65 of the Constitution, the PER and the protests of 2023 to 2026: how Portugal’s housing rights were won.

URL: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/en/not-the-first-time/  
Language: en-GB  
Last updated: 2026-10-26  
Other languages: pt: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/nao-e-a-primeira-vez.md, es: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/es/no-es-la-primera-vez.md, eu: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/eu/ez-da-lehen-aldia.md, fr: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/fr/pas-la-premiere-fois.md, it: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/it/non-e-la-prima-volta.md, el: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/el/den-einai-i-proti-fora.md, de: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/de/nicht-zum-ersten-mal.md, cs: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/cs/neni-to-poprve.md, pl: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/pl/to-nie-pierwszy-raz.md, ca: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/ca/no-es-la-primera-vegada.md, gl: https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/gl/non-e-a-primeira-vez.md

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Our history

# Not the first time

From the 1974 revolution to today’s protests, the story of housing in Portugal is the story of people getting organised.

Not the first time

## When residents and workers stood together, they won

Every housing right in Portugal was won by people organising and fighting for it. These are some of the moments that brought us here.

### 1974: Occupations and residents’ committees

Right after the revolution of 25 April, thousands of families occupied empty homes and set up residents’ committees. Housing became one of the great struggles of the revolution.

### 1974: SAAL: building with residents

The SAAL programme (Local Ambulatory Support Service) brought architects and residents together to build decent homes in the neighbourhoods where people already lived: the right to stay put. Projects such as Bairro da Bouça in Porto came out of it.

### 1976: Housing in the Constitution

Article 65 of the Constitution gives everyone the right to adequate housing and makes the State responsible for delivering it.

### 1993: Special Rehousing Programme (PER)

The PER rehoused tens of thousands of families living in shacks around Lisbon and Porto, after decades of pressure from residents.

### 2019: Housing Framework Law

For the first time, a framework law (Law 83/2019) recognises housing as a fundamental right and makes the State its guarantor.

### 2023: Back on the streets

The Casa Para Viver platform brings dozens of movements together and fills the streets of cities across the country.

### 2026: “Já não dá”: we can’t go on

In March, people march in 16 towns and cities against changes that make evictions easier. The manifesto “Já não dá” is signed by 90 associations, collectives, cooperatives and unions.

### 2026: Tents in the square

In October, tent camps in Lisbon’s Rossio and Porto’s Praça D. João I bring housing to the heart of both cities. The police clear them, but the protests keep growing, and on 24 October thousands march in Lisbon and Porto.

## Housing is a right. 
Let’s win it.

Join the people getting organised in buildings, neighbourhoods and workplaces all over Portugal.

[Take part](https://habitacao.bytetoit.com/en/take-part/) · [Get in touch](mailto:contacto@habitacao.bytetoit.com)