HLMs are not made only for the poorest. This is what the minister in charge of housing wanted to prove, Emmanuelle Wargon, interviewed Tuesday, February 8, on Public Senate. “Social housing, 70% of French people are eligible for it”, she said. “So it’s not just housing for the most disadvantaged people, it’s also housing for the middle classes.” In theory, that’s true. In practice, it is at least half as much.
According to the Union sociale pour l’habitat, it is precisely 66% of French people who have the right to social housing known as Logement Plus (rental loan for social use), i.e. the category of social housing most widespread in France.
Because, on paper, there are actually only two conditions to be fulfilled: not to exceed a certain level of income – no more than 2,250 euros for a single person in Paris – and be French or legally resident. But in reality, faced with the explosion in demand, there is a need to prioritize and other criteria are applied. French people who already own their main residence, for example, on paper, have every right to apply for social housing. In reality, they are almost automatically disqualified. The Union sociale pour l’habitat recognizes that if this status is not officially prohibited, an owner has much less chance of accessing social housing. However, if you remove all the French people who are already owners, that makes only 34% of people who can claim a HLM, or about 20 million French people.
However, we are far from having as many places available. The current stock has approximately 5.5 million social housing units, of which only 150 000 vacancies on January 1st. More than two million requests were made last year, for only 410 000 allocations according to USH. Not to mention that the allocation commissions must also respect the priorities set by law. People with disabilities or in an emergency situation must be given priority for social housing.
In summary, saying that 70% of French people are eligible for social housing is not wrong. However, this hides the fact that most of them will almost never have the chance to set foot in it.