The general delegate of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, Christophe Robert, spoke on franceinfo this Thursday after the adoption of the anti-squat law by Parliament.
Christophe Robert, general delegate of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, spoke on franceinfo Thursday, June 15, after the toughening of sentences against squatters by Parliament. The text adopted triples the penalties incurred by the squatters, up to three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. Christophe Robert wants in return a law for “help solve the housing crisis”.
>> Accommodation : Parliament toughens penalties for squatters
Franceinfo: In what state of mind are you after the vote of this law?
Christopher Robert: It’s a sad day. We are worried and angry. We are sad, because the housing crisis is raging. Everyone has been saying it for weeks and months, including the Minister of Housing. However, rather than attacking the way in which we could support and help people who are poorly housed, the first law of this five-year period dedicated to housing ultimately aims to wage war on the poor rather than on poverty, on the poorly housed rather than poor housing, as Abbé Pierre used to say. Frankly, this is something that touches us deeply.
What is your problem with this law?
There are people who take refuge in commercial or agricultural premises, even empty ones, because they cannot find a place in emergency accommodation or because they are homeless. From now on, these people could be punished by two years in prison and a fine of 3,000 euros. Is this how we will solve the housing crisis? Is this how we will succeed in supporting our most vulnerable fellow citizens? Frankly, there is something incomprehensible in this law. Initially, this bill was to say: “be careful, there are people who can squat on your sofa and you will not be able to evict them”. Which was completely wrong.
“Today, without the intervention of the judge, you can request the immediate expulsion of people”.
Christophe Robert, General Delegate of the Abbé Pierre Foundationat franceinfo
It is rather necessary to help these people to find another housing solution, and to grant them rights rather than subjecting them to prison sentences or fines.
This law also aims to protect owners who may be weakened. Is it still necessary?
I totally agree with that last point! In our rental eviction prevention platforms, at the Abbé Pierre Foundation, we receive calls from landlords whom we advise. Obviously, when we call for greater prevention of rental evictions and support for households, it is as good for landlords as it is for tenants. Of course we are aware that this law is not intended to solve the housing crisis.
“Where is the law that should help solve the housing crisis? How can we better prevent evictions? Are we going to produce more social housing? Are we going to stop the cuts State budget on these social housing?
Christophe Robert, General Delegate of the Abbé Pierre Foundationat franceinfo
After all that we produced for six months in this National Council for Refoundation, which I co-animated, we are now waiting for answers. We know to what extent housing today, which has become the main item of household expenditure, affects the daily lives of our fellow citizens. We know how much it can reduce professional mobility, how much it has an impact on health and schooling. Seeing parliamentarians spend so much time trying to figure out how to penalize more those who find themselves in difficulty is really something in the area of democratic imbalance that concerns us deeply.