French housing report exposes government inaction

The report highlights government indifference in this sector, showing that “in 2007 as in 2006 less than 24 percent of housing built in 2007 corresponded to the needs of the 70 percent less well-off households.”

At the present rate of 1.2 million people applying for HLM accommodation, the report estimates it will take 30 years to satisfy this demand. The charity accuses the state of direct responsibility for the crisis: “The politicians have not always made housing a priority of government action.” It noted that public expenditure on housing is “going down...representing 1.78 percent of GDP in 2007, thus the lowest in 30 years.”

Many empty promises have been made by right-wing governments over the recent period, especially since the urban revolt of youth in 2005. Under former President Jacques Chirac, the minister of housing and social cohesion, Jean-Louis Borloo, announced a scheme of home building for families with low budgets unable to buy at market prices. Boorloo’s proposal—for houses priced at €100,000 each and built at the rate of 20,000 to 30,000 a year—failed to materialise. Only four have been completed.