The Abbé Pierre Foundation has reviewed the state of poor housing in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region for 2023.
This is the first time a documentation has been made on the issue of poor housing in the region. The term poor housing is a neologism of the Foundation that is based on difficulties in accessing housing as well as the technical characteristics of a dwelling. Drawing on various statistical data, the Abbé Pierre Foundation provides a most eloquent overview. It highlights local peculiarities as well as real difficulties. The study focuses on the entire Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis (MNCA). Composed of 51 municipalities, the territory spans nearly 1,500 km2 and includes 550,500 residents (2020). The city of Nice alone has 343,500 inhabitants. Finally, the report distinguishes three major zones: a densely populated coastline, the Middle Country, and the Upper Country. Each of these zones is characterized by its own dynamics.
The Azurean coast accounts for nearly 80% of the Metropolis’s population. This population predominantly resides in collective habitats (buildings). The Middle Country hosts about 15% of the population in predominantly individual homes (houses). Lastly, the Upper Country represents three-quarters of the Metropolis’s area but has only 5% of the inhabitants. Most often, the population is elderly, and there is a majority of secondary residences.
A Rare and Expensive Housing Offer
After this brief overview, it is necessary to focus more specifically on the housing offer. In a context where Nice’s population is aging and tends towards impoverishment, the report highlights a record tension situation. As of January 1, 2021, the city of Nice has 14.20% social housing under the SRU law, which recommends 25%. This deficit in social rental stock results in an extremely tense situation in the allocation of social housing.
Alongside this observation, the social housing stock is strongly competing with the development of secondary residences and the tourist offer. Consequently, while 45% of applicants have incomes below the poverty line, only 36% of housing applications are fulfilled. At the national level, this fulfillment rate stands at 42%.
Insufficiently Addressed Poor Housing
The Abbé Pierre Foundation’s report highlights the issue of overcrowding in housing. Indeed, the MNCA’s housing stock is primarily composed of small private dwellings. This overcrowding is particularly unfavorable for the most precarious households. Thus, the overcrowding rate stands at 15% in Nice against 4.8% nationally. More alarming still, part of the housing stock is in poor condition. The deterioration and age of the buildings generate living situations deemed unworthy. For the Abbé Pierre Foundation, the policy against unfit housing must be profoundly revitalized within the metropolis.
Modest Results Regarding Housing and Exclusion Prevention Policies
The study highlights the limited scope of actions undertaken by the metropolis. These actions are illustrated in a context of an extremely tense market, where SRU objectives are mostly not met by the municipalities. However, a slight increase in momentum can be observed under the impulse of the national plan Housing First. While the study acknowledges an evolution in practices favoring direct access to housing, the results temper the message. Indeed, the production of affordable housing is still largely insufficient.
Moreover, in the metropolitan area, 16 municipalities are concerned by the SRU law, and only one has met its objectives (Saint-André de la Roche municipality). Nice thus stands out as the worst performer among French cities with over 100,000 inhabitants.
For the Abbé Pierre Foundation, this study is an outreach to housing stakeholders. This assessment emphasizes the necessity to expand the social housing stock of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. Furthermore, it highlights the consequences of SRU law violations in various municipalities. Finally, the report reiterates that housing is not something to be “earned,” but is a fundamental right mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Metropolis thus has the means to address these issues and fully engage in the fight against poor housing.
“We should not wait to be perfect to start something good.”
Abbé Pierre
