Le Figaro Nice
Cleverly orchestrated and offensive sequence at the town hall of Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), Friday afternoon.
A large number of the city's mayors, alongside President Christian Estrosi, summoned the press to express their indignation regarding the SRU law for more than an hour.
All have just received their respective fines for non-compliance with this provision dating from 2000 and which imposes between 20 and 25% social housing on their territory.
For the entire metropolis, the amount of penalties amounts to nearly 16 million euros, including 10 million for the city of Nice alone, indicated its mayor.
“
It’s state racketeering that doesn’t solve the underlying problem
,” said Christian Estrosi.
And I use the word racket wisely, because it’s less money for our communities
,” he insisted.
Each in turn, the local elected officials of the Côte d'Azur vented their resentment.
They all explain, like the mayor of Mandelieu in our columns, that they are unable to build because of the specific topography of the territory, particularly exposed to natural risks such as floods or fires.
But they make efforts which are not recognized by the authorities.
For Louis Nègre, councilor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, the SRU law is
“above ground”
and
“counterproductive”
.
“It is not by hitting local elected officials that we will make the State grow
,” he added.
Also read Social housing: did the city of Nice deliberately escape fines for non-compliance with the SRU law?
“Really fed up”
Further east, in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, mayor Roger Roux said he was
“very angry at this ludicrous law”
.
“These penalties are putting our municipalities in difficulty, it’s real fed up
,” said the man who has been elected for 23 years.
These mayors wanted to assure that he was not against social housing, as they can be criticized for due to their right-wing political orientation.
“These are just crazy and unattainable goals
,” pointed out Julie Charles, elected representative of Saint-Jeannet, a town of 3,500 inhabitants.
“I’m not here to create ghettos or rabbit cages
,” she shouted.
This councilor also wanted to contradict the fact that they are
“cities of the rich”
and that they preferred to assume paying a penalty.
“It’s disrespectful
,” she denounced, feeling
“pointed out”
for the wrong reasons.
A deputy from La France insoumise came to Nice at the beginning of January to denounce these maralpine towns which do not submit to this provision and present his bill to remedy it.
“We are being murdered
,” continued the mayor of La Gaude, Bruno Bettati, who explained that he wanted to build nearly 600 housing units in a concerted development zone (ZAC), but encountered numerous difficulties linked to regulations. of State.
“We no longer want it
,” he resigned himself.
Read alsoThe metropolis of Nice is banking on raising buildings to create new housing
“Wide movement”
This press conference comes at a time when Gabriel Attal, the new Prime Minister, wants to make housing one of his priorities.
During his general policy speech, he opened the door to a modification of the criteria of the SRU law by wanting to include so-called “intermediate” housing in the count for certain areas of the territory.
The Nice metropolis intends to position itself well, while this announcement worries a large part of left-wing elected officials but also associations fighting against poor housing.
They fear a desire to “
dissect
” the law.
The elected representatives of the Riviera intend to regroup to continue to put pressure on the tenant of Matignon and the new minister responsible for housing, Guillaume Kasbarian.
“A large movement will be organized
,” promised Christian Estrosi.
We won’t give up!”
“All of this is too serious a matter to leave it to the technocrats of Paris who will respond to us with an Excel table
,” continued the number 2 of the Horizons party, also pointing out the responsibility of the prefect so that he places himself in
“a spirit of devolution of power
.
The metropolis has announced that it will soon file legal action to contest the various fines received.
“Pathetic” for environmentalists
The leader of the environmental group in Nice, Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, considered it
“unworthy”
to challenge the SRU law, according to her
“cornerstone of republican solidarity”
.
The elected official targeted the situation of the Riviera capital.
“Comparing the situation in Nice to that of small towns is pathetic
,” she explained, seeing in it a desire on the part of Christian Estrosi
“to disguise the lack of will of the town hall
. ”
She thus denounces
“immobility”
on the subject of the housing crisis, because in Nice, for the elected opposition representative,
“we do not build to house but to speculate”
.