the threshold of 200,000 applicants for social housing has been crossed

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“For the first time in Occitaniaduring the second half of 2024, the threshold of 200,000 applicants for social housing has been exceeded,” announces the regional HLM union Social housing in Occitanie (HSO): “Demand continues to increase continuously with an upward curve: while the increase was 5% per year on average during the 2010 decade, it has risen to around 10% over the last two years” , underlines the organization.

More than 50% of people waiting!

Jean-Michel Fabre from Toulouse and Michel Calvo from Montpellier, respectively president and vice-president of HSO, describe a situation that is deteriorating in the light of this numerical progression with more and more requests that the current offer cannot satisfy. “The number of residents of Occitanie waiting for social housing has increased by more than 50% since 2017… In short, less than one household in seven today sees its request completed within the year compared to more than 1 in 4, ten years ago.

“Less than one household in seven now sees their request completed within the year compared to more than 1 in 4, ten years ago”

The explosion in demand is due in particular to the deterioration of the standard of living many citizens. In Hérault, as the latest report on poverty from Secours Catholique points out, the median income rose to €715/month in 2023, compared to €745 in 2022, a drop of 10% in one year… and up to at €555/month only for the poorest. The population is getting poorer but the production of new housing is at half mast, blocked by the state.

“Make housing a priority”

In this context, the two elected officials at the head of HSO note that “the crisis facing social housing in our country continues to worsen, producing ever more deleterious effects on social cohesion… The State must make housing a priority “. Which is clearly not the case: “In 2024, organizations, despite their investment capacities still reduced by government measures, have initiated the programming of nearly 9,500 new social rental housing units in Occitania. A number which, however, remains far below of the level of annual production needs, estimated at 14,000 new housing units per year.”

Jean-Michel Fabre and Michel Calvo specify that the tension on social housing is palpable throughout the territory: “The demand pressure in Occitanie (which measures the relationship between applicants and entries into places) continues to increase. At the start of 2024, this pressure indicator showed an increase in almost all departments, with the exception of Lot and Lozère. L'Hérault (9.0), the Pyrenees-Orientales (8.2), the Tarn-et-Garonne (7.8), as well ashears (7.3), l’Ariège (7.1) and the Gard (7.1) constitute the areas of greatest pressure”.

11% of the population housed in HLM

“For the first time, the threshold of 200,000 applicants for social housing has just been crossed in Occitanie”, worry the two leaders of HSO which brings together 67 HLM organizations in Occitanie, which, with 326,000 social housing units and more than 688,000 people housedallow more than 11% of the population of Occitanie to find a roof: “We call on the responsibility of the new Prime Minister, the elected representatives of the National Assembly and the Senate to take stock of the seriousness of the situation . It is time to unite the will of all to act and recast a housing policy fair, protective and value-creating. »

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