A bill proposed in the Senate to revive the housing sector

LR senators Dominique Estrosi-Sassone and Mathieu Darnaud submitted a bill to the Senate on Tuesday, December 2nd, which aims to lay "the foundations of a housing policy" and is expected to be examined in January.

The text "covers the whole spectrum of housing": social housing, private sector, local elected officials, revival of new construction, homeownership, renovation, housing for workers, explained Senator Dominique Estrosi-Sassone of Alpes-Maritimes to AFP.

Comprising 20 articles, this bill (PPL) carries "measures and values of the republican right in housing", according to Ms. Estrosi-Sassone, president of the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee, who concedes that it risks having "difficult" progress in the National Assembly.

Among the measures supporting the creation of social housing is a relaxation of the SRU law, which imposes a minimum percentage of social housing on urban municipalities. The proposed law gives municipalities that have not met their quota the possibility of "achieving part of their catch-up objectives in the form of intermediate housing," with rents higher than social housing, and without increasing their social housing construction obligations.

The text proposes to give mayors more weight in the allocation of social housing, for example with a "right of reasoned objection".

To provide financial assistance to social housing organizations, the proposed law reviews the financing of the National Housing Assistance Fund (Fnap), reduces a state levy on the revenues of social landlords (the RLS) and gives them more leeway to financially balance their projects, with intermediate housing or a rent increase after rehabilitation.

Faced with growing concern about cases of squatting in housing after legal entry (via tourist rental for example), the text "penalizes remaining in someone else's home by means of maneuvers, threats, violence or coercion" in the same way as illegal entry and including for business premises.

To facilitate land acquisition by local authorities, the PPL creates "an urban pre-emption right" in order to "fight against speculation" and lowers "from 30 to 15 years the period" for acquiring "ownerless properties", whose owner cannot be identified.

The text aims to re-establish a "national program" with an assessment of housing needs and regional adaptations. The authors project 400.000 new homes, 800.000 major energy renovations supported by the MaPrimeRénov' grant, and 50.000 homes adapted for aging or disability, per year by 2030.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.