The number of households waiting for social housing reached 2.7 million in the first half of 2024, or 100,000 more than in 2023, the agency announced on Wednesday, September 11., Emmanuelle Cosse, president of the Union Social de la Housse (USH), which represents social landlords.
“This demand is increasing everywhere. This is the same phenomenon as in previous years in all regions and shows that the issue of access to affordable housing remains very important.”he commented during a press conference, speaking of a “new record”In detail, more than 1.8 million households are waiting for their first home and 870,000 already housed in the existing housing stock are waiting for a new one.
“We have seen an acceleration in demand in the first half of the year and that is what is relatively worrying”The former Minister of Housing pointed out that this deterioration is accompanied by a fall in the number of approvals for new social housing.
In 2023, 82,200 social housing units were approved, compared to 124,200 in 2016, for a total of 182,300 “lost housing” over the years, says USH, which takes 2016 as a reference year.
In addition to the effects of the health crisis and the war in Ukraine, donors blame the fall in state production targets and the “solidarity rent reduction” (RLS) imposed on them since 2018 to compensate for the reduction of five euros in the personalised housing allowance (APL). Emmanuelle Cosse also denounced the freezing of the credits granted for the renovation of the HLM.
“Absolutely unacceptable”
Former Housing Minister Patrice Vergriete announced in October, at the end of the HLM congress in Nantes, a budget of 1.2 billion euros over three years, or 400 million euros per year, to renovate social housing.
“The resigning government did not fulfill its commitments (…) This envelope was already frozen without prior debate in July by [le ministre démissionnaire de l’économie], Bruno Le Maire, for more than half”said m.me Vaina. According to her, a situation that was all the more damaging since the owners were “Capable of consuming a billion in aid.”
“The government has not been able to fulfill a commitment it made and included in the finance law for even six months. It is absolutely unacceptable.”he lamented.
The HLM movement also evaluates “14 billion euros” the amount of financing “occupied in social housing since the summer of 2017”due to the RLS, the increase in the A-book rate to 3% and the increase in the VAT rate on social housing, from 5.5% to 10%.
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Social landlords are largely financed by savings, in particular by the Livret A, which the Caisse des Dépôts uses to lend to social housing organisations. The loans are also indexed to the Livret A rate. When interest rates rise, their debt increases.
The USH President spoke at the HLM Congress, organized from 24 to 26 September in Montpellier on the subject of “innovation” in construction, social or environmental matters.
“I want to propose to the Prime Minister a win-win pact”continued Mme Cosse, believing that the government needs the HLM movement “decarbonize” the housing stock and “Ensure that the construction industry has a volume of renovations over the years”.
In a political and economic context “extremely blurry”, “Our fear is, on the one hand, that we will lack visibility, but, above all, that we will face a budget that is recessionary and that leaves us isolated.”He said, also recalling the situation “dramatic” actors in private housing.
