Breaking: Parliament Passes Bill to Ease Housing Conversion of Tertiary
In a significant step to address the ongoing housing crisis, Parliament has definitively adopted a bill aimed at facilitating the conversion of tertiary buildings into residential units. The bill, spearheaded by Deputy Roman Modem Daubié, received unanimous support from the Senate on Thursday, June 5. Despite recognizing it as an insufficient solution, housing experts agree that this move could help unlock crucial housing stock in highly pressured urban areas.
Unlocking Urban Lands
The text introduces several softenings to administrative hurdles, notably enabling mayors to derogate from the local urban plan (PLU) for destination changes. Additionally, it allows for building permits to accommodate multiple destinations, making it easier to convert between office spaces and housing. This flexibility will particularly benefit university residences managed by Crous, mirroring practices in social housing.
In an initiative led by the Senate, the bill has been expanded to cover not just offices, but also hotels, parking lots, commercial areas, and even old agricultural buildings. This amendment anticipates the potential creation of over a million new dwellings, significantly augmenting the housing supply in urban centers.
Strengthening Urban Governance
The bill also includes stricter oversight of multi-destination building permits, limiting their validity over time and requiring municipalities to specify the primary usage. To compensate for the increased burden on local services, projects gaining surface area will be subject to the housing tax, thereby ensuring municipalities’ financial stability.
Expert Insights and Future Implications
Valérie Létard, the Minister of Housing, hailed the pragmatic approach, acknowledging that while it won’t solve all housing issues, it offers a concrete lever to alleviate the crisis in large metropolises. Martine Berthet, the rapporteur of the text in the Senate, concurred, emphasizing that while the law is a useful tool, it could have been more ambitious in tackling the housing shortage.
This bill represents a step forward in smart urban planning and adaptability. As cities continue to grapple with housing pressures, innovative solutions such as these will play a pivotal role in meeting residential demands. It underscores the importance of flexible policies in leveraging existing structures to ease housing constraints.
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