Building: The Only Solution to the Housing Crisis?

France is facing a housing crisis marked by a shortage of affordable housing, rising prices and household precariousness. According to the Abbé Pierre Foundation, about 4.2 million people are either poorly housed or without personal housing, and nearly 15 million are affected by the housing crisis to varying degrees. The cause is the increase in seasonal rentals, regulations considered too restrictive (rent regulation, DPE, etc.), and a lack of new construction. Paradoxically, the country has about 3.1 million vacant dwellings, or almost 8% of the housing stock. This is partly due to the age of certain properties, dissuasive regulations and the difficulty of evicting tenants in case of unpaid payments, difficulties reinforced by the winter truce and complex legal remedies. Faced with this legal uncertainty, many prefer to leave their property unoccupied. Mobilizing these vacant dwellings could be a major lever to resolve the crisis. To do this, it is crucial to strengthen the incentive to rent, through guarantees such as the Visale guarantee and appropriate tax arrangements. At the same time, it is essential to encourage construction, simplify standards and strengthen social housing. The housing crisis is not inevitable, but its resolution requires coordinated and proactive action by public authorities