During its last meeting, on September 27, 2024, the Yvelines department voted to suspend its Deficiency Prevention plan. This allowed municipalities with a deficit in social housing (less than 25%) and deficient municipalities (i.e. which have been subject to a deficiency order from the prefecture and possible sanctions) to benefit from subsidies for the production of social housing, and thus meet the objectives imposed by the State.
The temporary cessation of the plan is due to the sharp drops in revenue suffered by the department due to a fall in transfer taxes, and an increase in social spending.
The system was put in place in 2018 and was first tested by the municipality of Le Pecq. In this context, the protocol signed with the department and the social landlord Les Résidences Yvelines Essonne consisted of the department purchasing, for 10.7 million euros, a residential building. The latter was then transferred by emphyteutic (i.e. long-term) lease to the lessor. The Résidences Yvelines Essonne have transformed the 130 existing studios into 90 modern social housing units.
Up to 2.5 million euros in certain municipalities
In total, since the launch of the system, 19.7 million euros in subsidies have been allocated to social landlords, allowing the creation of 1,379 social rental housing units in 33 deficit or deficient municipalities. “Up to 2.5 million euros in subsidies could be allocated to certain deficient municipalities to enable the creation of around a hundred social housing units,” adds the department.
Since 2028, 19.7 million euros in subsidies have been allocated to social landlords, allowing the creation of 1,379 social rental housing units in 33 deficit or deficient municipalities
Does this mean that Yvelines will no longer provide any assistance to communities in need? “The department will no longer provide financial assistance. On the other hand, it continues to provide technical support to the municipalities to develop their catch-up strategy, which corresponds to a real need of the municipalities,” we assure within the community.
The fall in revenue will, however, have no impact on another housing budget, that of the solidarity land office, intended to encourage the purchase of apartments at affordable prices. “However, the severe budgetary crisis that the department is going through requires us to review its funding model to allow it to continue its development. It is also planned to change the principle of a universal fee of 1 euro towards an amount adjustable to the operation, which would oscillate between 1 euro and 2 euros maximum,” adds the community. Purchasers of housing managed by the solidarity land office only purchase the walls and pay a monthly fee of 1 euro to the solidarity land office, which remains the owner of the land.
A. T.
