Census data highlights Brazil’s housing crisis

Brazil has enough empty homes to house its population in need three times over — a trend driven in part by the boom in short-term rentals in tourism spots

housing More than 70 percent of homes in Xangri-lá, along the Brazilian southern coast, are for occasional use. Photo: Mystras — More than 70 percent of homes in Xangri-lá, along the Brazilian southern coast, are for occasional use. Photo: Mystras

Jul 19, 2023 11:29 2 min read (Updated: Jul 19, 2023 11:37)

For USD 148 a night, you can rent an authentic Portuguese house in Lisbon’s historic center. You will be next to a 14th-century convent and near the building where Fernando Pessoa, the country’s most famous poet, lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But be warned: previous guests say that the house’s medieval architecture means its steps are narrow and very steep.

In...