French PM Announces Relaunch of ‘Sustainable’ Social Housing
As tensions on the housing market have risen over the past decade, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced some measures on Wednesday to relaunch construction and promote affordable housing. Demand for social housing has been on the rise in France for the past few years, namely because of the steady increase in prices, Castex said. From 2007 to 2020, housing prices jumped 11% overall but rose as much as 36% in big cities, Castex added. This trend is forcing more middle-class citizens into social exclusion as they have to move to the cities’ peripheries. Various measures announced by the PM aim to encourage local authorities to issue building permits in specific areas. These include contracts to relaunch housing construction in each territory experiencing difficulties in the housing sector, which will receive a €175 million boost from the French recovery plan by the end of this year. In addition, owners of social housing certified in 2021 will receive tax refunds, and private owners will be “encouraged” to propose capped rents by using the country’s “affordable rent” scheme, which the government promises to make more attractive in areas experiencing difficulties.
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