Before and after a renovation (Source: Aprémis)
Under French law, if a house degrades over time and becomes unfit to live in, even the owners may face eviction – by municipal authorities – due to safety concerns. Often, the underlying challenge is that owners have financial constraints which make it impossible to carry out the type of renovations needed to bring such homes up to modern standards.
Aprémis, an NGO in Amiens, identified the opportunity to take advantage of a law known as ‘bail à rehabilitation’ (or renovation lease). This legislation allows external parties to renovate homes and become the property managers, while renting the space to owners, who pay a monthly fee on par with social housing costs. Usually, it is applied in cooperation with municipalities in combination with other financial schemes. To keep rental costs low while providing stability for the initial owners, the lease is long term – even up to 25 years.
Refurbishment can include energy efficiency measures, general updating and work that increases floor space. Aprémis works closely with homeowners to ensure their satisfaction and comfort.
To date, Aprémis has upgraded and is now managing 20 such homes. While the model is difficult to replicate, it is an interesting example of looking for innovative ways to protect and/or uphold basic property rights.
The Housing Solutions Platform is an initiative to identify, debate and promote innovative solutions for affordable housing in Europe by FEANTSA, Housing Europe and the Fondation Abbé Pierre.