Housing in Cabo Verde

The right to adequate housing is set out in Article 72 of the Constitution of Cabo Verde. Housing conditions nevertheless differ considerably by island, municipality (Município), and city. The 2021 RGPH recorded 201,348 dwellings, 75.8 percent of them in urban areas. Nationwide, 59.1 percent of family dwellings were detached houses and 39.1 percent were apartments; apartments were much more prevalent in Sal, Boa Vista, and Praia. The reviewed report does not provide reliable nationwide percentages for ownership, rental, and housing provided for use. People looking for accommodation to rent usually contact the landlord directly or use a licensed real-estate agency (Mediação Imobiliária). The agency requires a license from IGOTCI. Before signing, check the identity and ownership status, permitted use, location, condition, and any outstanding defects. A rental property generally requires a license of use (licença de utilização) for the intended contractual purpose. Where housing is urgently needed, proof that the use document has been applied for may be relevant until it is issued. The lease should be in writing and contain at least the contracting parties, location, tax identification numbers (NIF), rent, and signing date. If there is no written contract, a receipt for rent paid may nevertheless prove the rental relationship. Urban tenancy law under Lei 101/VIII/2016 supplements the contractual arrangements. Tenants must pay rent on time, use the accommodation continuously for residential purposes, make no substantial alterations without written consent, and not transfer or sublet it unlawfully. Landlords must enable the agreed use, ensure legally required maintenance, and observe the required use license. Small necessary works may be possible after prior notice to the landlord. A receipt should be kept for every payment. A tenancy may end by agreement, termination, expiry, notice, or other statutory grounds. If rent is more than two months overdue, the property is used unlawfully, substantial unauthorized alterations have been made, it has been unlawfully sublet, or it is not used continuously, the landlord may consider terminating the tenancy; the form and deadlines depend on the specific case. Public and social housing is partly administered by the Institute for Housing Development (Instituto de Fomento à Habitação, IFH). Depending on the program, allocation takes place through a ranked selection procedure (concurso por classificação). Calls for applications may include low-income households, young households, and people without the Single Social Register (Cadastro Social Único, CSU). The CSU is the state social register used to record household and income circumstances for certain programs. Typical evidence concerns identity, income, residence, household composition, lack of ownership of a home or land, and participation in previous housing programs. The call for applications often requires at least 24 months of residence in the relevant municipality. Assessment may include income, household size, dependent relatives, disability, age, and the ratio to the available housing stock. The details, income groups, rent shares, and deadlines must always be checked in the current call for applications. Applications may be submitted through NosLar, Casa de Cidadão, or the responsible Câmara Municipal. A rent-to-own arrangement (renda resolúvel) combines use with gradual acquisition of ownership. The rules under Decreto-Lei 1/2025 concern public or social housing; they provide for a public deed, registration in the register, the user's permanent own occupation, and a term of no more than 30 years. The monthly installments include use and gradual repayment. Ownership transfers after the contract term and full payment. Default or termination of the contract may result in return of the property and judicial enforcement. The HCC housing program (HCC) under Decreto-Lei 34/2026 may be relevant for purchase or a rent-to-own arrangement. It is aimed primarily at young households up to 40 years old, Cabo Verdean nationals or people with lawful residence and tax residence in Cabo Verde, who own neither a home nor municipal land and have not previously used a housing program. People over 40 may be included under special conditions if a household member works in a licensed hotel business. Public and private providers may participate; state subsidies, notarial and registry concessions, and simplified approvals facilitate access but do not replace the program-specific requirements. For the purchase, construction, improvement, restoration, or extension of a dwelling, the land cadastre (Cadastro Predial) and land registry (Registo Predial) must be distinguished. The Cadastro Predial records the plot; the Registo Predial establishes the legal status and owner. Both entries are required for the relevant legal acts, but the presumption of ownership follows from the land registry and not from the cadastre alone. Before entering into a contract, check the owners, plot boundaries, encumbrances, use license, and, for apartments, the condominium rules (condomínio). Municipalities are responsible for plot division, urbanization, building permits, use, and maintenance for construction projects. The usual process includes identifying the plot, preparing a complete project with plans and specifications, obtaining the required technical opinions, clarifying outstanding IUP amounts, securing the construction license (licença de construção), and, after completion, obtaining the official inspection (vistoria) and the use license or habitability certificate (habitabilidade). Construction without express approval is not permitted. There is no uniform nationwide regularization route for informal or irregular plots in the reviewed material. Praia has a specific approach for certain informal plots through the Legalization Office (Gabinete de Legalização). Among others, applicants without another home or other land in the municipality may be considered; the consent of the third-party landowner may be required. Barracas, rasparl, and areas in danger zones, traffic areas, or public areas are excluded. The Praia rules must not be applied to other municipalities without evidence that they do so. Banks offer housing loans for purchasing, building, improving, restoring, or extending a dwelling. The central bank (Banco de Cabo Verde) distinguishes, among others, general, subsidized, and youth-subsidized loans with fixed or variable interest rates. Banks regularly assess income, employment, status, and property documents; the effective annual rate (TAE) and long-term financial burden should also be compared. Under the rules researched for 2026, the interest subsidy may be 50 percent for a subsidized loan and 55 percent for a youth-subsidized loan, in each case subject to the applicable requirements and reference limits. A state personal guarantee for young people up to 35 years old may be added under Decreto-Lei 37/2025 if further conditions are met. When moving in, key handover, a condition report, meter readings, proof of residence, and orderly storage of the contract and receipts belong together. Anyone who receives subsidized housing or changes municipality should inform the responsible municipality or program of the new housing situation without delay. The appropriate route depends above all on whether private rental housing, ownership, public housing, regularization, or financing for purchase and construction is sought.