Faced with the real estate crisis, the Metropolis of Lyon implemented an unprecedented emergency plan, mobilizing 10 million euros to unblock 7,000 housing units throughout its territory. Presented by Bruno Bernard, president of the Metropolis, and Renaud Payre, vice-president in charge of housing, this system aims to strengthen the accessible rental offer and support the construction sector.
A system to combat the real estate crisis in the region
The real estate crisis and the slowdown in private investment have pushed the Metropolis of Lyon to adopt an innovative solution. In partnership with social landlords, the Federation of Real Estate Developers (FPI) and the Banque des Territoires, the Metropolis carried out the bulk repurchase of unsold housing, initially intended for free access.
This measure made it possible to redirect 2,300 housing units towards social and intermediary systems, in particular social rental housing (PLS) and real solidarity leases (BRS). According to Renaud Payre, this emergency plan “acts as a crisis absorber”by making the rental market more fluid while maintaining prices below the free market level.
Housing for all: priority for the middle and low-income classes
Among the housing units released, 57% are affordable for low-income or intermediate households:
- 38 % reoriented housing concerns the social rental loan.
- 14 % fall under very social measures (PLAI, PLUS or PLS).
- 5 % are real joint leases (BRS), facilitating social access to property.
In addition, 43% of housing is dedicated to intermediate categories, thanks to the intermediate rental housing system, supported by the State.
An intervention throughout the territory
The emergency plan was deployed in the 59 municipalities of the Metropolis, with particular attention to areas lacking under the SRU law (Solidarity and Urban Renewal). For example :
- In Craponneas part of the “Les Jardins d'Anna Rosa” project, 32 initially unsold homes were converted into PLS, offering housing adapted to the elderly or people with disabilities.
- In Lyon 8thin the ZAC Mermoz Sud, 41 housing units were reoriented thanks to the emergency plan: 29 in PLS and 12 in BRS.
In 2024, social housing programming jumped by 71%, with 3,353 housing units financed, compared to a notable drop in 2023. This dynamic helps to breathe new life into the real estate market while supporting the construction sector.
