The State promises to double funds for urban renewal in 2026

The first step in developing a new urban renewal program, this prefiguration mission was widely applauded by an assembly of urban renewal stakeholders, brought together in Paris by the ANRU for two days of conferences.

Its purpose is to examine the conditions that will help define the future of urban renewal, including "what mechanisms" will be involved, who will be around the table to finance the projects, and "what for," explained the minister, who remains open to all possible options.

For the president of ANRU, Patrice Vergriete, "this is an agreement in principle for the implementation of a third urban renewal program" and therefore "good news" for this urban policy designed to change the face of old large housing estates.

This announcement was also welcomed by Emmanuelle Cosse, president of the Social Union for Housing (USH), a confederation of social landlords who partly finance the ANRU.

"It's a major issue," she told AFP, "and we can't procrastinate on the future of urban renewal," before adding: "We, the social landlords, have already identified needs."

Valérie Létard assured that she wanted to "ensure that there is no gap, no air pocket between one urban renewal program and another."

"A victory"

As for the promised 116 million euros, they are more than twice the 50 million euros paid by the State in 2025, but nevertheless well below the 270 million euros requested by the ANRU.

Patrice Vergriete had warned of the risk of blocking certain neighborhood redevelopment projects if the State did not pay its share of the funding for the second urban renewal program.

Launched in 2014, this new national urban renewal program (NPNRU) provides for 12 billion euros of expenditure until 2030, and is financed by the joint body Action Logement (8,4 billion euros), by social landlords (2,4 billion euros) and by the State (1,2 billion).

"The government's commitment is that the amount owed by the State to ANRU will be honored," assured Valérie Létard.

The prefiguration mission "is a victory, we have come a long way," affirmed the minister, moved to defend the urban renewal policy in front of her mentor Jean-Louis Borloo, who founded the ANRU in 2004 and told AFP that preserving it is still "his fight every day."

Nothing is certain for the moment, according to Emmanuelle Cosse, because "as long as there is no law providing for a new urban renewal program, there is a fear" that this policy will stop.

"This is a historic act, just like in 2004 when the ANRU was created and in 2014 with the launch of the NPNRU," says a delighted Patrice Vergriete.

"This is very important for the residents of these neighborhoods, for the French model of sustainable cities. Millions of French people are affected, who do not live with dignity, who are in a situation of energy insecurity, who are stigmatized because of their address," continues the president of ANRU, a former Minister of Housing.

He believes that the ANRU must also "better understand the new challenges of urban transition", including adaptation to change and the aging of the population.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.