The departmental housing recovery plan was presented by the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on Wednesday, July 1st. The housing crisis has a significant impact on other spheres of society. This project represents the desire to strengthen the region’s attractiveness.
“A brownfield site become neighborhood, a barracks become home,” says Laurent Hottiaux, the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes.
Between Monaco and Menton, this former military air base will soon offer a residential neighborhood. At the heart of the construction site, the regional prefect announced the creation of 380 housing units, a school complex, a landscaped park, shops, and public facilities.
In his presentation speech, the prefect emphasized the desire to “transform the existing rather than consume our natural and agricultural spaces.” This plan is part of the government’s intention since last January to make housing a national priority. A target of two million housing units by 2030, including 125,000 social housing units this year, has been set.
In Alpes-Maritimes, it is essential to improve the housing supply in order to enhance the territory’s attractiveness.
Better supported to build better
The housing recovery plan aims to “build better.” The prefect of Alpes-Maritimes mentions the need for cooperation between different stakeholders to carry out the project successfully. This collaboration is reflected in the implementation of support mechanisms for builder mayors through the Elected Officials Club. Housing construction for public employees is encouraged through the creation of a public employers committee.
Support is a way to facilitate construction by mitigating potential risks of disputes. The establishment of an Urban Planning State Commission aims to frame projects involving social housing upstream.
Presented to the Council of Ministers on June 24th, the housing recovery bill aims to accelerate new construction as well as renovation.
As a real challenge for Alpes-Maritimes, this plan faces numerous constraints: “scarce and expensive land, mountains occupying most of the territory, a protected coastline, omnipresent natural risks (…),” the regional prefect notes.
Nevertheless, “these rules are not a hindrance: they force us to build better, where services, transport and networks already exist,” affirms Laurent Hottiaux.
A more than necessary housing plan
The objective of this recovery plan is mainly to address the difficulties citizens face in finding housing in Alpes-Maritimes.
The regional representative laments the increase in median housing prices for negligible living space. “Our department currently has more than 60,000 social housing applicants for only 66,000 existing social housing units.“
During the 2026 municipal elections, the housing crisis was at the center of many political programs. The Nice Popular Front list leader, Mireille Damiano, notably denounced “a deliberate policy choice by successive mayors of Nice who never made housing a priority.“
These numerous factors are causing citizens to abandon Alpes-Maritimes. A clear impact on the region’s economic attractiveness is observed. Nine out of ten companies report that economic partners struggle to house their employees.
Society is slowed down by this housing issue. “Births have declined by nearly a quarter in fifteen years.” The figures cited by the regional prefect testify to the place of housing in a territory’s attractiveness.
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