Stéphane Burgatt / Photo credits: ARNAUD PAILLARD / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 11:19 a.m., February 28, 2024

“The problem of social housing cannot be reduced to a mathematical equation applied blindly.”

The mayors of 42 municipalities in Bouches-du-Rhône, supported by the Aix-Marseille metropolis, wrote to the Minister for Housing Guillaume Kasbarian to request a modification of the law relating to solidarity and urban renewal (SRU).

In their request for an audience with Minister Delegate for Housing Guillaume Kasbarian, 42 mayors of Bouches-du-Rhône municipalities denounce “territorial injustice” and “disguised taxation”.

They believe that social housing quotas are unattainable in some of their municipalities, in particular due to construction standards and constraints.

This is the case of Plan-de-Cuques which currently has around 11,000 inhabitants.

Surrounded by pine forests, the city will never be able to go from 10 to 25% social housing, assures Les Républicains mayor Laurent Simon.

"My commune is 8.2 km² with 60% natural areas classified as Natura 2000, the highest level of ecological protection. If I more or less respected the law, I would arrive at a population density which would reach 5,311 inhabitants per km², it makes no sense !"

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Social housing: more and more requests, fewer and fewer allocations

Some mayors pay 900,000 euros in penalties each year

To be classified among the “deficient” municipalities, he pays a fine of 400,000 euros.

In Pennes-Mirabeau, the mayor, ex-socialist, Michel Amiel budgeted 900,000 euros.

“And it’s not a one-shot, it’s every year,” he laments.

He also says he volunteers to offer more social housing without being able to do so.

“In the Paillères district, for example, there are 1,000 housing units planned. That’s not nothing! We’ve been on this project since 2008!”

Why such a delay?

According to him, because of the negotiations which dragged on with the Public Land Establishment.

“It’s becoming a racket”

The cost of land is a barrier, says the various right-wing mayor of Marignane, Éric Le Dissès, who also points to a lack of space.

“We still have to build 1,600 social housing units, understand that it’s impossible!”

He too is penalized to the tune of 900,000 euros and does not have harsh enough words when he talks about the law relating to solidarity and urban renewal (SRU).

"It's becoming racketeering. It's so much money that I can't put into schools and sports facilities. We're taking money that normally has the objective of ensuring the good life of our citizens."

Administrators who also lobby against quotas.

Elected officials are sensitive to this.

In Gémenos, “the pearl of Provence”, according to its mayor Jacky Gérard, the question often comes up.

“Ask the administrators, they don’t want social housing too much. Gémenos is a pearl, I want to keep it that way,” he admits.

Abandon stick politics

This is why some are asking, for example, to be able to include “intermediate housing” for the middle classes in these quotas.

In his general policy speech on January 30, Gabriel Attal made the same proposal.

Supported by the Aix-Marseille metropolis, where a motion has just been voted on after heated debates, these 42 mayors are demanding that the rules be relaxed.

“The stick policy will no longer be enough to get the construction of social housing off the ground,” thinks David Ytier, vice-president of the metropolis for Housing.