Three out of ten people poorly housed overseas, according to the Abbé Pierre Foundation

"The available indicators, which are still very incomplete, allow us to estimate that nearly 600.000 people suffer from poor housing or the absence of personal housing, i.e. nearly three out of ten overseas inhabitants", out of the 2,2 million inhabitants of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion, indicates the Abbé-Pierre Foundation in a study released Thursday.

In these territories where 80% of households are eligible for social housing (compared to 66% in France) around 160.000 people live in makeshift dwellings, 41.250 are forced to live with third parties (excluding Mayotte), 151.320 live in deprived of comfort (no access to water or toilets and/or a shower) and 220.000 live in overcrowded housing, according to this study.

For the foundation, "a change of gear is essential if we want to enable each citizen to live in dignified and decent housing, adapted to their needs and resources".

"The fragmentation of State powers within ministries, central and decentralized directorates requires redefining the management and governance of accommodation and housing policies, while ensuring the involvement of local communities and the actors of solidarity", estimates the foundation which proposes to the public authorities a strategy based on "eight axes and 29 concrete actions to be implemented for the next five years".

For the foundation, it is therefore necessary to "massively produce a supply of very social housing (15.000 per year) in line with household resources" and "promote bioclimatic architecture based on traditional know-how" to "articulate the fight against fuel poverty with issues relating to climate change and risk prevention".

The Abbé Pierre Foundation also proposes to "engage in parliamentary work to recognize the ownership of a household living for more than ten years on jointly owned land", to "regularize land situations", as well as to "regulate real estate markets ".

Finally, for the 3.000 wandering people (excluding Mayotte) in these territories, the foundation recommends "strengthening knowledge of needs and boosting partnership" between existing structures.