Housing in the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plans: Insights from the Portuguese case

Authors: Sílvia Jorge ID, Aitor Varea Oro ID

The Recovery and Resilience Plans that were launched in response to the COVID-19 crisis mark a shift in the European Union’s approach to crisis management that involves expanding the use of community funds to address housing challenges through an integrated and multidimensional framework. In Portugal, the 1st Right – Housing Access Support Programme serves as the primary mechanism for tackling housing precarity, making it the main recipient of this funding. This article examines the programme’s implementation through three core dimensions: progress towards quantitative targets, equity in territorial funding distribution, and institutional capacity. It analyses how housing precarity is defined in housing policies, how resources are distributed across municipalities, and what challenges hinder the programme’s effectiveness. The findings highlight the need for process optimisation, strategic planning, and stronger support for disadvantaged regions to ensure that the programme meets its goals of social and territorial cohesion. By drawing lessons from the Portuguese case, this study provides insights for other EU Member States, highlighting the importance of policy frameworks that combine shared objectives with locally responsive implementations.

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Document Type
article
ISSN
2336-2839
Volume / Issue
12 / 2
Pages
183-194
https://doi.org/10.13060/23362839.2025.12.2.596
Date of publication
14.11.2025
Keywords:
poverty neighbourhoods , housing and urban sustainability , urban policy and planning , social housing , welfare policy

Cite this article

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Jorge, S. , A. Varea Oro 2025. ‘Housing in the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plans: Insights from the Portuguese case.’ Critical Housing Analysis 12 (2): 183-194. https://doi.org/10.13060/23362839.2025.12.2.596