On the island of Terceira, where history often lingers in infrastructure left behind by shifting geopolitical tides, a long-idle neighborhood is stirring back to life.

Applications opened today for 92 homes in the “Nascer do Sol” housing complex, located near Base das Lajes, offering residents a rare rent-to-own opportunity. The application window runs through May 8, according to an official notice published in the Azores’ government journal.

The homes—T3 and T4 semi-detached units—carry monthly rents ranging from €625.10 to €1,000.25, depending on size, construction area, and valuation. Additional listed rents include €665.09, €721.69, and €749.21, reflecting a tiered pricing structure aimed at accessibility.

A Neighborhood Reclaimed

Once part of the U.S. military housing stock, the properties were left vacant in 2015 after a major downsizing of American forces at Lajes. What followed was a decade of uncertainty, stalled plans, and shifting political priorities.

Now, backed by €11.3 million in funding from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the Azorean government is transforming the abandoned homes into modern, energy-efficient housing. Construction began in July 2025 and is expected to take approximately 450 days. Allocation of homes may occur in phases as work is completed.

Upgrades include thermal insulation, heat pump installation, electrical system conversion from U.S. standards, and the construction of a new wastewater treatment station—bringing the properties in line with European norms.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility is tightly defined. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have maintained tax residency in the Azores for at least one year, and demonstrate the financial capacity to afford the rent. The required housing cost burden must fall between 15% and 35% of household income.

Applicants—and their household members—must not own property, must not have previously received public housing support, and must be in good standing with tax and social security authorities, unless under an approved repayment plan.

How Selection Works

Applications will be scored using a point-based system that reflects both financial and social criteria:

  • Housing effort rate: Up to 20 points (15–25% earns maximum score)
  • Household composition: Up to 20 points, based on optimal fit for unit size
  • Special circumstances:
    • Disability: +15 points
    • Youth households: +20 points
    • Single-parent families: +10 points
    • Dependents: +5 points
  • Local ties:
    • Residency in Santa Cruz parish: +5 points
    • Employment in the parish: +5 points

Applications can be submitted online via the Azores Housing Portal or in person at regional housing offices in Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo, as well as RIAC service centers.

A Long Road from Vacancy to Vision

The story of “Nascer do Sol” reflects broader shifts in the Azores’ economic and political landscape. When the U.S. reduced its military presence in 2015—from 650 personnel to just 165—hundreds of homes and a 5,200-square-meter school were left behind.

In 2018, the Portuguese Air Force transferred the infrastructure to the regional government, which initially envisioned a tech hub for digital professionals. Those plans never materialized.

Only in 2023 did the current PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition government commit to rehabilitating the homes for public housing. After delays and revised budgets, the project was formally tendered in 2025 and awarded for €11.3 million.

A New Chapter

What was once a symbol of geopolitical retreat is now being reimagined as a cornerstone of housing policy—an effort to address affordability while reclaiming dormant spaces.

For Terceira, the revival of “Nascer do Sol” is more than a construction project. It is, in many ways, a quiet reoccupation—this time not by foreign forces, but by families seeking permanence in a place long defined by departure.

Adpated for Novidades from a journalsitic story in Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.