Housing Minister leaves HLM congress without concrete announcement

"The general policy speech is in a few days, for me it is difficult to intervene, you know that I cannot announce anything", apologized Valérie Létard during the closing in Montpellier of the congress of the Social Union for Housing (USH), which brings together social landlords.

Coming to "give indications of Michel Barnier's lucidity and awareness" regarding the serious housing crisis, the minister promised those involved in the sector that she would listen and engage in dialogue "to find solutions".

"Housing must be considered a national priority, because it plays a central role in the lives of citizens," the UDI MP immediately stated.

His "convictions and determination" nevertheless face "contradictory injunctions between a monumental public debt and the need to act as effectively as possible."

"There is a budgetary reality, I am taking up my duties with a roadmap that was established before I arrived and from which we will have to start, that does not mean that there is no solution for the future," she stressed, considering that it is not on the text of the budget that she will "take up the greatest challenges."

Without setting a course or mentioning any specific projects, Valérie Létard cited in no particular order energy renovation, aid for mayors, affordable housing, investment in social housing, emergency accommodation, among other themes.

The Alliance for Housing, which brings together professional organisations in the sector, is calling for seven emergency measures to be enacted in the 2025 finance bill, including the re-establishment of the zero-rate loan, the elimination of the reduction in solidarity rents (a levy made on the rental income of social landlords) and the extension of the Pinel tax exemption scheme.

Valérie Létard was welcomed positively by the congress participants, who all highlighted her experience on housing issues and her promise to listen.

She "said words that we have not heard for a long time, with the recovery through housing at the end of her speech, it is an extremely important starting point", reacted the president of the USH and former Minister of Housing (2016-2017) Emmanuelle Cosse.

According to Ms. Cosse, Valérie Létard promised to be in dialogue and co-construction.

Throughout the congress, the world of social housing insisted on the link between the housing crisis and the social crisis, its impacts on employment and even on public finances, since the drop in the number of real estate transactions has reduced the amount of taxes collected by the State.

"If you don't have a magic wand, you probably have a pilgrim's staff, which could take you to Bercy, to Matignon, to the Élysée to finally make realities heard," Emmanuelle Cosse asked the minister.