National report on housing inequalities – France

An extract from Deliverable 2.1 “Contextualized analysis of the housing situation – Papers on (sub)national trends”

France boasts a robust economy with significant government involvement in critical energy, transportation, and defence sectors. Over the past fifty years, its housing market has transformed considerably, with the growth of housing units consistently outpacing that of the population and households. Vacancy rates have increased faster than the overall housing stock, particularly in rural and coastal areas, while urban centres are experiencing densification. Following a boom in homeownership during the 1980s, rates declined until stabilising around the mid-2000s, especially in metropolitan regions. While four-fifths of households express contentment with their homes, a significant housing crisis persists; for instance, tenants in social housing report lower satisfaction; a quarter of households with a recognized legal right to housing have yet to be allocated social housing; and the annual output of social housing is drastically insufficient.