Vigo launches Vive Vigo program to mobilize 12,000 vacant homes

The Vigo City Council has launched ‘Vive Vigo’, a municipal program designed to mobilize up to 12,000 vacant homes into the rental market through public intermediation. The initiative aims to address the local housing crisis by incentivizing owners to offer properties at assessed, affordable rates.

Under the program, the city council acts as an intermediary between owners and tenants for a five-year period. The council guarantees rent payments to owners even if the property remains unoccupied and commits to returning the housing in its original condition. To support affordability, the city will also cover portions of the rent if a family’s income falls below 30% of the agreed price.

As part of the rollout, the Urbanism Management office is awarding three grants of up to 20,000 euros each for the rehabilitation of apartments located on Colombia, Enrique Lorenzo, and Torrecedeira streets. These funds cover renovation works, energy efficiency certificates, and insurance. The rehabilitation budget is set at 2.15 million euros, while the Vive Vigo mobilization plan has an initial budget of 700,000 euros.