Mayors Urge Macron to Address Growing Homelessness in France
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Over 20 French mayors, including Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, called on President Emmanuel Macron to take immediate action to address the growing number of homeless individuals in the country.
The mayors signed an open letter, citing a recent report from the Abbé Pierre Foundation, which highlights a worrying increase in the number of people at risk of falling into extreme exclusion.
The letter, which appeared in Le Journal du Dimanche, states that "this winter is particularly worrying" and that the officials are "not resigned to the social distress" they witness daily.
The mayors proposed seven concrete steps to be taken, including adopting a programming and planning law for accommodation places and the possibility of requisitioning empty buildings. They also asked for an emergency plan to care for all children and families without a solution.
The officials emphasized the need for "territorial solidarity" and urged the deployment of their proposals "urgently throughout the national territory." They also called for a financial penalty mechanism on empty buildings to be established. The situation of the homeless continues to worsen in the midst of the cold winter, and the mayors are urging the government to take swift action.
In 2017, Macron promised to provide housing for everyone, but despite this promise, the government's budget for emergency accommodation was decreased by 57 million euros in 2019. According to the Abbé Pierre Foundation, the number of homeless people in France has increased to around 330,000, a 130% increase compared to 2012.
