Laurie and her disabled daughter Giulia no longer want to return to their apartment

Laurie a reçu hier la visite du 1er adjoint de la Ville, d'un technicien du service Habitat et des services sociaux du Département venus aussi inspecter son immeuble. Alain Mendez – ALAIN MENDEZ

Ils vivent toujours dans une caravane au bas de leur immeuble depuis le week-end dernier et réclament une solution de relogement.

Since last Saturday, Laurie Benetoux and her three children, including her little Giulia, 4, who is severely disabled, have been living in a truck and a caravan set up on the public highway, in front of the Lodève museum, next to their home that they have chosen to abandon (See ML of October 1). A complex situation that poses a real social problem against a backdrop of housing and disability. This Tuesday, the City, the department's social services and the technician in charge of housing came to meet her, inspect their apartment and the common areas of the building as well.

“A complex case like there are unfortunately many”

“Tenants don't stay here, it's nicknamed the cat building with horrible smells and urine, which we didn't know when we arrived from Toulouse five months ago” insists Laurie, who sticks to her guns.
“In July, we launched a procedure for non-decent housing after an initial inspection with the Urbanis firm, and we notified the owner of work injunctions” indicates the Director of City Services, Jacques Teissier. “This Tuesday, a new visit took place which found that there was no no worsening of the situation allowing the unsanitary status of their apartment to be classified. However, we have asked the owner to do the work again."

And to mention a very complex case. “As we unfortunately have many in the city, and on which is added the handicap of a little girl for whom we must concentrate our efforts. For a few days everyone has been active, we are using networks on the social housing, the private sector, neighboring municipalities but we do not have an immediate solution” continues the 1st deputy Ludovic Cros.
The problem is that with a lease in her possession, Laurie, her partner and her children are not a priority for obtaining social housing. “They will become so because the Department's social services, in the emergency during the visit, put together a file that was incomplete so that it could be processed as a priority during the next session”.
As for the occupation of public property in the city centre, it poses an embarrassing problem for the community.

“I am fighting for my daughter, my fight is legitimate”

“We understand this individual situation which requires kindness and support. But they cannot stay indefinitely on the street like this, it is not possible, acknowledge Ludovic Cros and Jacques Teissier. We need calm, a little serenity to make everyone face up to their responsibilities, the communities who have done their job, the owner and this lady. We need her too to find a solution.”

“I will not return to this apartment, it is a matter of my daughter's life who needs permanent and sterile care. If they take away my trailer, we will sleep in the truck. My fight is legitimate” Laurie insists, very moved and angry. The 31-year-old also lives in fear of being evicted from her trailer, which adds stress to a painful social situation.
“The hygiene problem in the building is proven, my daughter was hospitalized at the end of September following a bacteria linked to cat urine. The doctors confirmed it, she cannot live in this environment with her pathologies” continues the one who, with her family, continues to receive a lot of messages since her installation on the public highway. “I am fighting for Giulia, who is extremely courageous”. After having spent almost her entire life in hospital or in a center, having already undergone 8 operations, the little girl found good care in Lodève at the Prémerlet school and benefits from very good support from the City's Educational Success program.

“I'm just asking for healthy housing for my daughter.” sends out like a distress call the former Toulouse policewoman who left her job to take care of her little Giulia full-time.