The Socialist Party has identified its preferred route through the Alojamento Local morass, opting for a quota system to be policed by local councils.A source close to the subject, Luís Testa, hinted today that the quota system is a good way forward and sais that the Left Bloc’s proposal has "very interesting issues."
Testa is the coordinator of the Socialist Party members in the parliamentary Economy Committee and a member of the working group on the reform of the local accommodation rules. He said today that the quota system is "an admissible model" - the closest thing yet to the ruling party making its mind up.
"Quotas are a permissible model. It is a model that can be welcomed, but we do not have a closed position, we will wait for the hearings,” said Luis Testa.
The socialist also said that this system of quotas, which has already received the support of the Government, must be in coordination with local councils.
The Left Bloc’s formal proposal includes the implementation of a quota system, which has raised some "very interesting questions" and Testa said the party may even follow some of them.
However, the socialists are still critical of the Left bloc’s measure to limit short-term rental to 90 days a year, "It does not add anything in terms of protection for the condominium owners," said Testa.
The original government proposal was to allow others in a condominium regime to block their neighbours from renting out their apartment on a short-term basis to tourists.
The socialists are now going for a model in which owners of apartments in a condominium can make a complaint if they feel disrupted by noise or bad behaviour, with the council following up and empowered to withdraw an Alojamento Local licence.
