Building facades, April 27, 2023 in Paris (AFP/Archives/JOEL SAGET)
Extension but tightening of the zero-rate loan (PTZ) to promote home ownership, end of Pinel, rental aid, support for construction… The government unveiled 14 technical measures on Sunday to try to stem the housing crisis.
This plan drawn from the discussions of the National Council for Refoundation (CNR), a series of thematic consultations wanted by Emmanuel Macron, was to be announced on Monday by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. Matignon finally unveiled the essentials on Sunday evening.
In total, 700 proposals “gathered into 200” had been formulated by the CNR. The government has retained a series of technical provisions supposed to respond to all aspects of the housing crisis but no shock measure such as the supervision of land prices, one of the strong proposals from the CNR.
Major projects are also “open”, such as the overhaul of the taxation of furnished tourist accommodation, accused of aggravating the housing crisis everywhere in France.
“It is not in one go that we solve the entire housing policy”, we said to Matignon. “We touch a little on all the levers (…) We must both act on the structural and respond to a form of economic crisis”.
To promote home ownership, the government will extend the PTZ, which was to end at the end of 2023, until 2027. But the system will be refocused on “new collective housing” in tense areas, and on ” old housing subject to renovation” in a relaxed zone.
To promote access to rental, the government will stop the Pinel system at the end of 2024, deemed ineffective, and focus on “intermediate rental housing”, namely housing which, without being social, allows moderate rents.
This system reserved for tense areas will be open to around a hundred additional municipalities, currently located in relaxed areas.
Measures have also been announced for social housing but must still be the subject of a “pact” with social landlords. The aim is to help them renovate their housing stock and invest and support their own funds.
An additional envelope of 160 million over 5 years will also be devoted to the “Housing first” system, which consists in granting permanent housing to people who are poorly housed.
To relaunch new construction, now at a standstill, 47,000 homes that were not sold will be bought from developers by Caisse des Dépôts and Action Logement.
Finally, to accelerate the energy renovation of buildings, the MaPrimeRénov’ system will be reinforced, with 1,300 “France Rénov” counters against 450 currently and an increase in “Rénov’ guides” from 2,000 to 5,000.
These measures will be financed by the end of the Pinel device and the refocusing of the PTZ, said Matignon.
© 2023 AFP
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