French social housing providers denounce a "destabilizing" European plan for social housing

For the first time in its history, the European Union on Tuesday tackled the immense housing crisis hitting the Old Continent by presenting a plan to encourage construction and regulate short-term rentals.

Nearly 1,3 million people live without shelter in the EU, twice the population of Luxembourg.

"This awareness, while an important political signal, does not mask the deep limitations and numerous contradictions of the plan presented," the USH said in a statement.

The donors believe that this plan, "poorly conceived", is "largely disconnected from the realities of the territories as well as from national models which have nevertheless proven their effectiveness".

She also criticizes the European Commission for having adopted, on the same day, "a decision relating to the revision of the State aid framework, without any prior impact assessment having been carried out".

According to social housing providers, this method "could call into question the balance and robustness of the French social housing model", with the risk of a regulatory framework "that is both more complex and potentially unenforceable".

"As a committed European, I deplore the fact that the Commission is imposing new technocratic systems as a response to the housing crisis," said Emmanuelle Cosse, president of the USH, quoted in the press release.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.