The actors of inclusive housing formulate proposals for the implementation of the Housing First Plan in the territories

The Insertion Housing Actors, which include Fapil, Soliha and Unafo, are publishing their first newsletter on the implementation of the government’s five-year plan for Housing First and the fight against homelessness. This new newsletter will provide an opportunity several times a year to review the achievement of the objectives set.

Gathered within the Acteurs du logement d’insertion (Ali), Fapil, Soliha and Unafo closely follow the implementation of the Housing First Plan. Beyond the monitoring of the plan’s quantified objectives, the Ali wish to draw attention to the concrete changes to be made in the territories to promote the development of housing solutions for homeless people.

Rental intermediation

Initial findings can be drawn up, in particular on the development of rental intermediation, which has been the subject of particular attention in the territories since the publication of the instruction of 4 June 2018.

The actors of integration housing note a positive dynamic at the level of decentralized State services to identify local operators and develop the management mandate. Nevertheless, information work remains necessary for the DDCS, in particular on this system, which often remains poorly known.

The instruction of 4 June 2018 made it possible to create a clear and coherent reference framework that still requires pedagogical work and homogenisation throughout the country. To go further, the Ali formalize the following three recommendations, which are essential for a massive and long-term investment by accredited organizations:

• Multi-annual objectives: objective and financing agreements must be multiannual to give budgetary visibility to accredited organisations;
• Clarification and homogenization of financing: the financial model “Rental intermediation” presented in the instruction must be strictly applied with measures financed for housing and at the same level in all territories;
• Participation of local authorities: the role of local authorities must be strengthened in the mobilisation of the private park with a social vocation, in conjunction with State services, in particular those selected within the framework of the MAI.

Production

In a context of declining activity in housing construction as a whole and social housing in particular (-4% of approved housing), the two production axes highlighted by the Housing First Plan (PLAI and boarding houses) are holding up well.

Operators have therefore mobilized well to propose projects in favour of housing for the most deprived, but these encouraging results should not hide more contrasting realities:

• the figures correspond to approvals and it will be necessary to remain vigilant about the actual implementation of operations, as operators encounter difficulties in getting some projects accepted locally;
• in terms of family pensions, despite the increase in 2018, the current rate will not allow the 10,000 places opened over the five-year period to be reached;
• some territories, although tense, do not see their number of approvals increase in 2018. Production difficulties in tense areas therefore remain a major challenge that the Housing First Plan must help to overcome.

Accompaniment

The Actors of integration housing had welcomed the instruction of 4 June 2018 on rental intermediation, which marked an important step for social support. But they observe that for the year 2018 it was only very rarely followed by the decentralized services of the State: very often, the accompanying measures were integrated into the financing of management, for lease/sublease mechanisms only, and without reflection on their degree of intensity.

In addition, the Ali note that the AGLS is once again underfunded in 2018, with 30% of its initial budget being redeployed to housing measures.

The five-year plan stressed the need for changes in support practices. The Ali share this observation but insist once again on the importance of working in the State services so that support is seen as a tool in itself, truly adapted to needs. The Ali call for a global reflection on financing and social support practices.

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