The extraordinary session saw the majority approval of three proposals presented by the Municipal Executive. The Mayor of Funchal, Jorge Carvalho, provided clarifications on measures concerning housing, service organization, and municipal management.
Regarding the budgetary amendment, the municipal affordable rental program “Habitar Funchal” was highlighted, aiming to facilitate access to housing. With an initial allocation of 500 thousand euros for 2026 and 1.5 million for 2027, the program will be adapted to new national regulations. If the funds allocated for this year are not used, the Municipality may have 2 million euros available in 2027.
The reorganization of municipal services, also approved by majority, elevates three divisions to department status (science, communication, events, and protocol). According to Jorge Carvalho, the measure, effective from 2027, does not involve creating new leadership positions and aims to grant greater autonomy and streamline decision-making, enhancing administrative efficiency.
Prior authorization was also approved for the assumption of a multi-year commitment to hire the Official Auditor/Sole Fiscal for SocioHabitaFunchal. The procedure was reformulated to cover a four-year period. Jorge Carvalho also addressed the debt recovery plan for social housing, which aims to recover approximately 500 thousand euros, emphasizing the importance of individually assessing families' economic difficulties.
