“We need to produce housing” so that “there are no more people on the streets,” says former Minister of Housing Olivier Klein

“We must produce housing, everywhere and for everyone”, argues this Friday on franceinfo the former Minister of Housing Olivier Klein, while an episode of cold hits part of France. Since the start of the year, at least four homeless people have died on the streets. A “drama” for Olivier Klein who also judges “intolerable” having “children, people on the street”.

To combat this problem of poor housing, the mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis) insists that he “we need to produce more housing, everywhere and faster”. He also explains that he opened a “gymnasium to welcome” the homeless, as part of a severe cold plan. But Olivier Klein recognizes that “it’s never enough” and call the authorities “Act”. “We must continue to fight every day so that there are no more human beings on the streets”says the former Minister of Housing.

Olivier Klein thus highlights his action during his time in the government of Elisabeth Borne. He explains that when he arrived at the ministry, the number of emergency accommodation places had been increased due in particular to the Covid-19 epidemic. “I was told we had to go back to 140 000 accommodation places before Covid […] but I fought”, he maintains. The former minister said to himself “proud” to have therefore “somehow saved people by saving the 200 000 emergency accommodation places” what France counts. He also claims to have “requisitioned a castle which belonged to the Ministry of Higher Education”.

The requisitions of empty housing are particularly requested by elected officials from La France insoumise. “But the reality is not as simple as that”retorts Olivier Klein before specifying that “as soon as possible, we must do everything possible”.