Aged 74, he has survived for 15 years in a parking lot in the heart of Paris: "We have closed our eyes"

How could an old man of 74, sick and alone, have lived for fifteen years in the parking lot of a charming private Parisian residence, located not far from Montparnasse, at 66, rue d'Alleray ( XVth), without anyone noticing?

How many residents got out of their car in the morning to go to work and passed in front of box n ° 1023?

How many have crossed the septuagenarian who was coming out or rather extricating himself from his dark junk after one of his chaotic nights?

“I did have a hunch,” says Gérard, crossed on Wednesday morning in the 4th basement.

The sixty-year-old, in sports clothes, who has lived here for only a year, was "surprised to meet this man not in good shape, several times".

A few minutes later, another local resident, at the wheel of a large engine, passes in front and turns his head.

"There are people who say hello to me", breaths Milovan, his gaze vague, silent, exhausted.

The septuagenarian, cap screwed on his head, specifies: “Some knew that I slept there.

My box was often open.

"

Threatened with eviction by the parking lot manager

On Wednesday, Jean-Baptiste Eyraud, spokesperson for the DAL (Right to Housing), and a handful of activists disembarked rue d'Alleray.

Mission?

Save Milovan, who has not paid the rent for his parking lot for more than ten years and risks eviction and therefore the street.

A placard taped to his box by GTF, the property manager who manages these car parks, warned him: "On behalf of the owner of this garage, it will be emptied and the lock will be replaced on April 28, at 11:30 am. . "

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The descent into hell and the Milovan car park dates back to twenty years.

This man, of Serbian origin, who has a resident's card, lived rue Lecourbe (15th century) and worked in the building industry.

His garage, which he had rented from GTF since 1982 for some 300 euros per quarter, was also used at the time to park his car and store his construction equipment.

In retirement, Milovan suffered a stroke.

He then lost his home and his car.

Made an application for social housing with the City of Paris, to no avail.

And took refuge in his box.

In these 8 square meters, not the shadow of a development.

No water, no light and, as a backdrop, mounds of old paint cans, sacks of gutted dry plaster, age-old stepladders, rusty tools, vestiges of his former life, his life of 'artisan.

Milovan, 74, with his friend Miroslav, who alerted the DAL to this situation.

LP / Celine Carez

In the evening, to go to sleep, Milovan slaloms to sneak into the back of the box, in what serves as a bed, some cardboard boxes and some old fabrics.

"We see him go to the sanisettes in the street to wash," says the building guard.

"He was seriously uneasy in front of his box two years ago," says a neighbor.

And a few months ago the police came.

»« We can see him during the day in the garden of the residence.

He doesn't bother us, says another.

We closed our eyes.

In absolute terms, he was safe.

Milovan obviously does not have a mailbox.

"I have a poste restante," said the old man.

It was a fellow Serb who, worried about the eviction notice, sounded the alert and contacted the DAL.

"I have known Milovan for about fifteen years," explains Miroslav Zivanovic, also present this Wednesday morning and who was acting as an interpreter.

I was also in the building.

I don't know much about him.

I have always known him alone, without children, without family.

I also know that he did not assert his pension rights.

»Milovan only receives 200 euros per month.

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"I am sure to sell it"

“It is the president of the condominium, his neighbor in the parking lot, who wanted to fire him, denounces a resident.

She put forward the fire risk of the construction products that he stores in his box.

"

This concern is shared by the GTF property manager, located rue de Lourmel (15th district). Contacted Wednesday evening, he deplores, "with this story, having on the back the DAL, the social services and the City of Paris". "I was not aware that this gentleman was still in the place, swears the director. The trustee asked me to intervene to free the box and, there, I discovered a homeless person. A homeless man who was nevertheless his tenant. “He hasn't paid his rent for twenty years. It no longer exists in our files. GTF will also "bring in a bailiff" and "initiate legal proceedings to evict and recover the premises".

Wednesday evening, the sad story of Milovan is traced back to the gilding of the Town Hall. And Ian Brossat, deputy (PCF) to the mayor of Paris in charge of housing, to promise: “We are going to contact him to allow him to benefit from social support, a residence, an nursing home. "