For over 20 years, housing laws have been continuously enacted. In 1982, the Quillot law came into existence, marking the right to housing as a fundamental right for the first time. Eight years later, it was strengthened by the Besson law (“ensuring the right to housing constitutes a duty of solidarity for the entire nation”). The latest is the DALO law (Enforceable Right to Housing), which too is based on a failure. Despite government initiatives, France has 3.5 million poorly housed individuals. Additionally, six and a half million people are in a “real vulnerability.” In total, 10 million people are facing the housing crisis. Alarming figures are mentioned in the 15th report of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, submitted on February 1. The purpose of this report is also to propose solutions to allow the French people facing the housing crisis to live in decent conditions. Among these are the taxation of vacant homes and the regulation of re-rental rents. Since the supply is less than the demand, the landlord is solely responsible for the cost of rents.
Property is a Right
Nathalie de Pamphilis, the president of the national association “Les Toits de France,” which has a branch in Nice, is not convinced by these statistics: “In my opinion, many more people are experiencing housing issues.” According to her, 15 million people are poorly housed. “I think those who are renting and are denied the right to homeownership are poorly housed people.” “It’s a criterion of poor housing to let people live in a rundown public housing unit. Sure, they are housed, but the public housing is poorly maintained.” “Les Toits de France” actively campaigns for French people to access homeownership. “The Abbé Pierre Foundation supports the public rental market.” It would advocate more for rentals than access to ownership. A measure in total contradiction with “Les Toits de France.” “I believe everyone has the right to be an owner, everyone has the right to take the social elevator, everyone has the right to rise in society, everyone has the right to pass something on to their children, it’s very important,” asserts Nathalie de Pamphilis. Outraged, she also reacts to the idea of taxing unoccupied homes. The Carf (French Riviera Urban Community) survey reveals that over 6,000 homes on the French Riviera are vacant or unoccupied. Nathalie de Pamphilis welcomes the taxation of these homes: “It’s an excellent thing; anything that can promote and bring back to housing, I agree.”
Although Nathalie de Pamphilis expresses some reservations about the Abbé Pierre Foundation’s report, she trusts the government: “The government is particularly focused on these housing issues.” Particularly optimistic ideas… Out of 97,200 housing requests made, only 6,770 have been granted since the publication of the DALO law in the official journal. Is the government really concerned about housing?
