Attal wants to “unlock” the housing sector and review the SRU law

Gabriel Attal announced on Tuesday January 30 "a shock of supply" to "unlock" the housing sector in crisis, by simplifying access to MaPrimeRénov' and by reviewing the calculation of the social housing quota imposed by the SRU law in municipalities in urban areas to promote social diversity.

“We are going to massively simplify the standards: review the DPE (energy performance diagnostics), simplify access to MaPrimeRénov', facilitate densification, lift constraints on zoning, accelerate procedures,” declared the Prime Minister during his general policy speech to MPs.

To encourage mayors to develop social housing, "we are going to give [them] a hand for the first allocation in the new social housing built in their municipality", he continued.

Currently, these attributions are decided by commissions bringing together representatives of the lessor, the mayor, the State and the intermunicipality.

The Association of Mayors of France (AMF) welcomed in a press release “the recognition of the competence of mayors in the allocation of social rental housing”.

Gabriel Attal also said he wanted to support the social housing sector via a “very long-term loan of 2 billion euros”. This sector is going through an unprecedented crisis with 2,6 million households waiting for social housing, an unprecedented figure.

But the Prime Minister also intends to "develop" this sector to "support the middle classes". He wishes to review the count of social housing under the law relating to solidarity and urban renewal (SRU).

Adopted in 2000, this emblematic law of urban policy requires municipalities in urban areas to have a minimum rate of social housing.

Insurance: Attal promises reform of the natural disaster regime

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced on Tuesday a reform of the natural disaster regime which makes it possible to reimburse damage after severe bad weather, to prevent insurers from refusing to cover property in certain regions.

“We will evolve the natural disaster regime to modernize it and prevent certain insurers from abandoning the territories most at risk,” promised the head of government during his general policy speech to the National Assembly.

In mainland France, the natural disaster guarantee, included in property damage insurance contracts (for example multi-risk home contracts), covers all these perils except wind which is subject to the storm guarantee: floods, mudslides, drought, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides...

A state of natural disaster may be declared when one or more of these events occurs with abnormal intensity. It is up to the administration to analyze commune by commune whether the conditions are met.

The natural disaster guarantee provides coverage for material damage caused to insured property. It is financed by a surcharge, which must increase for home damage contracts from 12 to 20% on January 1, 2025 - the system being in deficit.

Concretely, the Central Reinsurance Fund (CCR), a public entity, covers part of the damage, and is itself reinsured by the State if necessary.

This regime created in 1982, however, shows its limits especially as natural disasters multiply, increasingly linked to climate change.

The sums at stake are enormous: natural events are expected to cost a total of 143 billion euros over the period 2020-2050, almost twice as much as in 1989-2019, according to France Assureurs.

Some insurers are already refusing to insure property in exposed areas, or are increasing their rates.

In addition to strengthening the natural disaster regime, the profession readily speaks of risk pooling between insurers, increased prevention or "the dissemination of a culture of natural risk among our populations".

Former insurer Thierry Langreney was commissioned by the government to carry out a study on the insurability of climate risks. He must return his copy in the coming weeks.

Another mission was launched for local authority insurance.