The Luttopia collective marks ten years of action against homelessness in Montpellier

L'équipe d'Utopia 004, autour de Gwen (au centre) toujours mobilisée pour l'accueil des personnes sans ressources. – giacomo italiano

Le collectif Luttopia a été à l’origine de trois occupations importantes de bâtiments publics, dont celui des archives municipales à Boutonnet. Ses bénévoles poursuivent leurs actions pour l’accueil et l’accompagnement des plus précaires.

It was at the beginning of April 2014 in the plush section of Avenue de Lodève. After several scoutings, a group of activists for the right to housing decided to invest in an empty office building to accommodate homeless people, particularly families and a few children, a little less than a hundred people. . Grouped together within the Luttopia collective, they named this reception area, then owned by the order of lawyers, Utopia 001. 

"We had births, marriages, people we lost… " 

The beginning of a long history of building requisitions, evictions and reopenings of alternative housing for homeless people, the largest of which, a few years later, would be that of municipal archives, capable of housing 200 people at the same time.

Two days of activities, Friday and Saturday

To mark these ten years, the Luttopia collective is organizing two days of meetings and events which began yesterday and continue this Saturday between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the premises of Utopia 004 at 88 bis of the ;rsquo;Avenue de Toulouse. On the program, photo exhibitions, workshops, information points but also concerts (Cha La Mélo, Lamine Bamba, Gymkhana, Tarahsse, Todja…). In October 2021, the premises hosted an exhibition of screen prints by the artist Banksy. An event organized for the benefit of the SOS Méditerranée association which welcomed nearly 12,000 visitors.

Utopia 003 was founded, after a visit to the headquarters of the former social affairs department, avenue d’Assas (Utopia 002). "In the municipal archives, this lasted almost five years. More than 10,000 people were welcomed there. We had births, marriages, people we lost" remembers Gwen, the kingpin of the reception place, then identified for its important role by social sector associations and state services."Are volunteers always needed to compensate for the failures of the State in its sovereign missions or does the State disengage because volunteers get involved?? I asks the question again" observes today this activist, now involved in Utopia 004, on avenue de Toulouse. It is here that, next weekend, ten years of action by the Luttopia collective will be celebrated, both a spur for institutions and an essential relay for people without resources. 

Since April 2014, things have evolved, an association was created and the requisition of this old residential house was made within the framework of an agreement of’ rsquo;temporary occupation passed with the City after the end of the archives squat. "We wiped away the plaster of an article of the Elan law that the municipality used" Gwen says. This system authorizes the temporary provision of vacant premises for the purposes of housing, integration and social support in return for safeguarding their condition. Of the three houses initially affected, however, two had to be closed for security reasons. "Our objective is above all to meet basic needs, accommodation, shower, coffee…" continues the activist. Residential space has also been made available, in the Restanque area. 

An uncertain future after the month of June

The temporary occupation agreement which binds the Luttopia association and the City expires on June 4. The block in which it is located is doomed to be demolished. What about the future ?"We know that the town hall and the social cohesion services have been alerted. But for the moment we have nothing on paper. We ask ourselves the question. We risk seeing our work paralyzed because we will not be able to reopen another place on June 5" observes Gwen who regrets that this end of lease was not more anticipated. 

Luttopia would like to significantly increase its accommodation capacity and at the same time have collective living spaces. "We proposed several avenues. We are proactive, as usual" adds the activist, keen to remain positive and satisfied with these three years. "We have good visibility, a presence in the neighborhood. The approach is to be welcomed, everyone has kept their commitments and the City has shown itself to be present where the State no longer responds". The collective indicates that "it’there is no shortage of vacant buildings". "With political will, it is possible to bring other owners towards this type of agreement. We are on a means which allows us to keep a property vacant to avoid illegal squatting and therefore eviction costs".

The occupancy agreement for the other house made available in Tournezy also expires next July, requiring the rehousing of people sheltered there.

"Thwarting property rights"

In 2023, Utopia 004, which operates thanks to its volunteers – often former residents -, prides itself on having welcomed around 800 people, 200 were supported in their efforts and around twenty were accommodated. "In Montpellier 123 people were accommodated in intermediate locations. This remains insufficient for it to remain a valve to relieve the 115. I remind you that 1,500 people are on the street. We are back to the level of 2019" continues Gwen. With the end of the occupation of the Archives, she believes that Luttopia has "lost its strength" but not’ rsquo;has not renounced anything from his initial convictions. "We are far from the application of the law which says that we must protect people who find themselves on the street . We made the choice to thwart the property rights of vacant buildings because to do nothing would be to fail to provide assistance to people in danger". A motto for ten years.

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