• This Wednesday, the metropolis of Montpellier and the social landlord ACM Habitat unveiled the outlines of a "major consultation", which should allow, via weekly meetings, to offer "a direct dialogue" between the occupants and their manager.

  • Because until now, the link could be complicated between tenants and the social landlord.

  • Until the end of June, between 150 and 200 people will be able to participate, by videoconference, in these weekly question and answer sessions.

It is not always easy for tenants of social housing to be heard. It happens that the link with donors is so blurred that they sometimes come to solicit the press, so that their complaints are taken into account. The metropolis of Montpellier (Hérault) and ACM Habitat, the leading social landlord in the Hérault capital, aspire to re-establish a simpler relationship with tenants. This Wednesday, the community and the social landlord unveiled the outlines of a "major consultation", which should make it possible to offer "a direct dialogue" between the occupants and their manager.

Through weekly meetings, the 50,000 occupants of the 22,000 housing units of ACM Habitat will be able to discuss "what is going, what can be improved, and what is wrong", confides Michaël Delafosse (PS), the president of the metropolis.

This will allow “the teams of the lessor, but also of the metropolis, to act to improve the living environment, continues the elected official.

It could be a garbage container that is malfunctioning, a stairwell that is degraded or a letterbox in which mail is stolen.

"The objective is to find out if it is good to live in our residences, and if not, how can we improve," adds Cédric Grail, CEO of ACM Habitat.

" Accountable "

Never, notes Michaël Delafosse, “there has never been such an approach at ACM Habitat, it is a radically innovative project”. "Sometimes, when I went to meet the inhabitants, as a candidate [for the municipal elections], I was told 'We have no answer, we do not call and we do not receive'". In addition, “quality indicators” will be published each year on the living conditions of tenants, to “be accountable”, confides the mayor. "It's not just meetings like that!" We work together to assess and improve, and when we can't, be able to explain why. But the goal is not to say, every time, it's ACM Habitat's fault. Sometimes it is the behavior of a number of people, a very small minority. "

The first meeting, by videoconference, will take place on May 11.

Six more are planned, on May 18 and 25 and June 1, 8, 15 and 22.

The social landlord and elected officials will respond directly to questions from tenants.

Each time, between 150 and 200 people will be able to participate.

It will be a question of the living environment, but also other themes, such as mobility.

A questionnaire on their living conditions will also be sent to tenants in the coming hours, and an online “suggestion box” will be launched.

The follow-up of this consultation will also be possible on the Internet

(here).

"We will have to be very transparent about what will emerge, and go quickly on the measures"

The Hérault Family Union Confederation, one of the associations which defends the rights of tenants, is delighted with this consultation. “Anything in favor of consulting tenants is a good thing,” says its president, Paule Ablitzer. Because, until now, the relationship between the association and the social landlord was "complicated". “Joining someone was the obstacle course,” she continues. It really wasn't obvious. It had to be done several times. Even the tenants, directly, it was also very complicated. There was often an end of inadmissibility. "

For her part, Alenka Doulain (We Are), the main opponent of Michaël Delafosse, considers the idea "positive", even if she regrets "learning it from the press".

"But we believe that it will also be necessary to consult the 24,000 applicants for social housing, to find out how they see the quality of the service in monitoring their cases," confides the elected official.

And those who have social housing, who hope to change it.

"On these two cases," it really lacks transparency, "regrets Alenka Doulain.

Our dossier on social housing

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

And there are “issues already identified, on which we would like quick answers, such as the distribution of T3, T4 and T5, which are very localized in single-sex neighborhoods, while they should be distributed elsewhere in the city, and in other municipalities of the metropolis, continues the leader of We are.

On the need to relaunch concierge services, too.

It is very good to consult, but behind, it will be necessary to be very transparent on what will emerge, and to go quickly on the measures.

"

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  • Languedoc-Roussillon

  • Housing

  • Social landlords

  • Michael Delafosse

  • Social housing

  • Montpellier