The Minister for Housing, Patrice Vergriete, announced Monday that additional credits of 120 million euros will be committed to “strengthen the emergency accommodation system”, while France is experiencing an episode of intense cold. “The goal is not only to create places, but to prevent people from entering emergency accommodation and to get them out more quickly,” said the minister, who was visiting a center. day reception in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.
10,000 additional places
This new envelope corresponds to 10,000 additional places, but “we do not want to get into the game of space because it would almost be in our interest to try to shorten the delays in emergency accommodation”, added Patrice Vergriete. The envelope will be used to respond to urgent needs, in particular to accommodate women and children on the street, estimated at 3,000 according to Emmaüs, but also to “in-depth reform the emergency accommodation system”.
This involves, according to the minister, “better coordination with local authorities”, but also by ensuring that “the fewest people can enter emergency accommodation” by preventing evictions. According to the ministry, the number of places in emergency accommodation, excluding extreme cold, increased from 198,000 on January 1, 2023 to 203,000 today, “compared to 93,000 ten years ago”.
The extreme cold plan was launched this Monday by all mainland prefectures. To help the inhabitants of Pas-de-Calais affected by the floods, 470 emergency accommodation places have also been opened.
440,000 people have found a roof over their heads since 2017
Since 2017, 440,000 people on the street have also found housing thanks to the “Housing First” plan, indicated the minister, also recalling the “500 additional staff for social monitoring” (115, marauding, reception of day…) announced in November.
“It is the role of a government to show solidarity to keep the commitment of the President of the Republic, namely unconditional accommodation (…) whatever its origin, whatever its profile, whatever whatever their situation”, added the minister in reference to the access condition introduced by the Immigration law of not being subject to an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF). Patrice Vergriete, once announced to be leaving, clarified on this subject that he “did not threaten to resign” but had “expressed (his) opinion on a text which is not a government text”.