A gathering of associations in front of the mayor of Sète against rental evictions and for rehousing

Le rassemblement du collectif d’associations ce mercredi matin devant la mairie. MIDI LIBRE – Kelman Marti

This Wednesday, April 3, several associations from the Thau basin gathered in front of the Sète town hall to protest against the return of rental evictions since April 1.

Since Monday April 1 and the end of the winter break, tenants who do not pay their rent or utilities can once again be evicted from their accommodation. This change in situation does not please a group of associations, who made it known by gathering this Wednesday morning in front of the town hall.

Plus 52% of rental evictions in 10 years

Their requests ?"Stopping rental evictions without rehousing and energy cuts, facilitating the handling of unpaid debts through aid schemes or even the production of social housing at affordable rent& ;quot;, list the organizations, before referring to the latest report from the Abbé Pierre Foundation on the subject.

The latter reveals that the number of rental evictions has jumped by 52% in 10 years (17,500 households in 2022) and that one to three years more later, 32% of households have still not found real housing.

In Sète, "the offer is not adapted to the needs of the population"

"Some people in difficulty prefer, with the few means they have, to feed themselves rather than pay their rent. It’s survival, deplores Janine Léger of the DAL, an association which currently notes housing exclusions and supports people in asserting their rights. Already the situation has worsened this year with rising rents and inflation, it is even worse in Sète with tourism, Airbnb accommodation and the price of real estate which has soared. Here, the offer is not adapted to the needs of the population."

"Elected officials must stop passing the buck and use their skills to find solutions. We no longer wants eviction without rehousing!", adds Aline from Collectif Logement.

Among the ten people gathered on the Place du Poufre, Zora (first name changed), is not threatened with eviction, but is faced with this housing crisis. "For over a year, my HLM application has not been moving forward. I currently live in an unsanitary apartment. It’s very hard to find accommodation in Sète", explains the one who is helped by the DAL and Collectif Logement. Currently without a solution, she is forced to stay living in her home which requires major renovation work.