The Senate strengthens anti-squat devices

This text, which follows several highly publicized cases including that of Théoule-sur-Mer this summer or more recently that of Petit-Cambodge, however, has little chance of prospering, having received an "unfavorable" opinion from the government.

The Minister in charge of Housing Emmanuelle Wargon judged "not opportune to modify the balance" found in the Asap law (acceleration and simplification of public action), even though it "has just entered into force".

She indicated that a circular specifying the conditions for the implementation of anti-squat procedures, "for the attention of actors on the ground", would be released "in the next few days".

The bill brought by the senator of the Alpes-Maritimes Dominique Estrosi Sassone increases the penalties incurred in the event of home invasion, bringing them to three years' imprisonment and a fine of 45.000 euros.

This provision, passed in the Asap law, was censored by the Constitutional Council as a legislative "rider". It is the only article of the text that has received government approval.

"Things must change because the home squat and the denial of justice that accompanies it is extremely violent for the victims," ​​pleaded Ms. Estrosi Sassone.

The bill also creates "an offense of fraudulent occupation of building", beyond the sole domicile, punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of 15.000 euros.

Particularly contested on the left, it provides for an additional penalty to deprive the squatter of the benefit of the right to enforceable housing.

For Ms. Estrosi Sassone, it is "to prevent the squat from becoming a sort of skip-the-line" to benefit from rehousing.

But for Ms. Wargon, it is "a red line". On the left, Hussein Bourgi (PS) denounced "a sentence that looks like relentlessness" and "a factory for repeat offenders".

The text opens the rapid forced evacuation procedure to all premises for residential use and creates a fine sanctioning the distribution of "instructions" for the squat.

On this last point, the Laws Committee took care to "preserve the freedom of expression of associations fighting against poor housing", underlined the rapporteur Henri Leroy (LR).

"The overwhelming majority of squatters are poor and destitute people," said Bourgi, pointing to "growing poor housing", while Marie-Claude Varaillas (predominantly communist CRCE) denounced a "demagogic and populist" text.

In return, Mrs. Estrosi Sassone regretted an "ideological, very political" position of the left. "You have deliberately (...) opposed the right to property to the right to housing. However, the right to housing is not the right to squat," she said.