Thousands of families in Lisbon are currently in need of housing, with approximately 30,000 families indicating unhoused status.
In the bustling Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML), a pressing issue has come to light: a significant number of families are waiting for municipal housing. According to recent data from July/August 2025, at least 31,035 families are on the waiting lists across 16 of the 18 municipalities in the AML[1][2].
Lisbon itself accounts for a significant portion of this figure, with approximately 15,700 families waiting[1]. The city is home to 8,700 families in the Supported Rental Program and about 7,000 in the Affordable Rent Program.
However, the data does not provide exact figures for the municipalities of Seixal and Vila Franca de Xira separately. These two municipalities are excluded from the total, leaving the remaining municipalities in the AML to account for the difference between the total (30,000+) and Lisbon's share. By subtracting Lisbon’s approximately 15,700 families from the 30,000+ total, we can estimate that the remaining municipalities in the AML (minus Seixal and Vila Franca de Xira) have roughly 14,000 or more families waiting[1][2].
The exact number for the non-Lisbon, non-Seixal, non-Vila Franca de Xira municipalities is not detailed in the available information, but it falls in this range. Unfortunately, no breakdown for Seixal and Vila Franca de Xira was found in the search results, so the estimate for the "remaining municipalities" excludes these two but cannot be adjusted further without additional data.
Among the municipalities in the AML, Odivelas has 1,220 families waiting for municipal housing, Loures has approximately 1,000, Cascais has 1,371, Oeiras has 1,467, Amadora has approximately 1,200, and Setúbal has 1,963 families awaiting municipal housing. Two municipalities, Seixal and Vila Franca de Xira, did not respond to requests for this information.
It's worth noting that some city councils have indicated the number of people referred to by the households on the waiting list. For example, in Sintra, the four thousand housing applications correspond to about ten thousand people.
The city of Barreiro, with an average per capita income of approximately 325 euros, has 812 active applications for municipal housing, which correspond to 3,248 people.
This estimate reflects recent counts as of mid-2025 but does not include any data on illegal occupations or other housing factors discussed in separate contexts[3]. The situation underscores the urgent need for affordable housing solutions in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
[1] Source for Lisbon, Amadora, Odivelas, Loures, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra, Setúbal, and Barreiro data. [2] Source for the total AML families waiting data. [3] Source for information on illegal occupations and other housing factors.
- The current housing crisis in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) has revealed that numerous families are not only waiting for municipal housing in Lisbon, but also in other municipalities, with an estimated 14,000 or more families in the remainder (excluding Seixal, Vila Franca de Xira, and Lisbon) on waiting lists.
- Amidst rising numbers of families waiting for municipal housing, some municipalities like Odivelas, Loures, Cascais, Oeiras, Amadora, and Setúbal have reported specific figures, with Odivelas housing 1,220 families, Loures around 1,000, Cascais holding 1,371, Oeiras managing 1,467, Amadora almost 1,200, and Setúbal accommodating 1,963 families on their waiting lists.
- Simultaneously, exploring various financing options and investing in housing or real-estate within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area can be a potential solution to alleviate the housing shortage and improve the lifestyle of families waiting for municipal housing.
