Azores Safety and Security Report Wednesday 23 July 2025
By our corresspondent in Azores
19 people identified in the Azores for converting vehicles into homes
The GNR identified 19 people who were converting vans into living spaces and issued 38 administrative offences on the islands of São Miguel, São Jorge, Pico and Faial, in inspection actions to control illegal car rental activity.
In a statement, the GNR explains that during inspections it noticed that several vehicles were being converted into living spaces and, subsequently, advertised and promoted on online platforms as motorhomes or motorhomes.
The GNR also found that several of the providers operated without the necessary prior communication with the Institute of Mobility and Transport (IMT) and that the vehicles were not subject to rental contracts.
Following inspections, which took place between July 7th and 16th, 23 vehicles were identified operating without the proper authorization to carry out the rent-a-car activity.
19 tax infraction reports were drawn up for failure to notify the start of the light vehicle rental activity, an offence punishable by fines of between 300 and 7,500 euros, in the case of individuals.
The GNR issued another 19 administrative offences for carrying out the rent-a-car activity without administrative permission, which is punishable by fines of between 1,500 and 2,500 euros for individuals.
In total, 19 owners of light vehicles, aged between 25 and 50, were identified on the islands of São Miguel, São Jorge, Pico and Faial, who were converting their cars to serve as homes.
Former American military homes in Lajes begin to be renovated by the Azorean government
More than 90 houses left vacant by the US Air Force at the Lajes base, Terceira Island, in 2015, will begin to be restored, in an investment of 11.3 million euros, financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The project, whose first stone was laid this Monday, has an execution period of 450 days and is expected to be completed in October 2026.
The intervention aims to improve the energy efficiency of homes, with the installation of heat pumps and thermal insulation on the roof.
It also provides for the modification of the electrical grid, which was the same as that used in the United States of America, and the creation of a new wastewater treatment plant.