City policy: security and housing at the top of residents’ concerns

Launched in May 2023 at the initiative of the government, this consultation focused on the "challenges" and "assets" of the neighborhoods, with a view to future "city contracts" which will frame city policy until 2030, and must be signed by March 31, 2024.

Its results were revealed in a circular relating to “the governance of city contracts” published on January 4 and which calls for “systematically taking into account citizen participation”.

This consultation was the subject of around 6.200 complete responses to an online questionnaire, including 54% from residents of priority neighborhoods of city policy (QPV), and gave rise to 531 local meetings.

Some 5 million people live in the 1.362 QPV classified sites in France.

The prevention of delinquency appears to be the most important challenge to overcome for residents of QPV as well as for those not living in QPV, while education tops the priorities of people who carry out an activity in QPV.

Then comes housing, in particular access to housing for those under 34 but also sound and thermal insulation, accessibility and dilapidation.

The living environment is then cited, in particular cleanliness, waste collection, the lack of green spaces and games for children, or even road traffic and parking.

Drug trafficking and its consequences are also “frequently mentioned”.

Among the assets cited, respondents identified as a priority "the associative fabric" and "solidarity", even if several contributions indicate "sometimes bluntly the absence of assets" and "express a feeling of abandonment and neglect".

Asked about the main projects to be carried out, respondents cited integration and access to employment, followed by strengthening support for schooling, security, living together and support for parenthood.

They also want the development of local shops, as well as the improvement of their living environment.

Another consultation body launched in March 2023, the “neighborhood citizen participation” commission chaired by Mohamed Mechmache, founder of the ACLEFEU association and the “Pas Sans Nous” coordination, must deliver its conclusions at the beginning of February.