On the facade of the building completely covered with a net located at 12, rue Danton, in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine), a large sign in faded colors still displays the ambitions of the town hall: the demolition of the building. And this, for the enlargement of the playground of the Françoise-Dolto elementary school, opened in September 2000. A promise constantly pushed back to double the space of the playground and the creation of new windows for certain rooms of the establishment.
This three-storey building had however been bought by the city in July 2000, for an amount of 2.6 million francs, or nearly 400,000 euros. At the time, it was still occupied by three tenants whose apartments were subject to the law of 1948, that is to say without a lease term, and with very low rent. Discussions have therefore been initiated with the people concerned to offer them alternative accommodation.
According to the local agency of Rives de Seine Habitat (formerly Levallois-Habitat, which merged with the municipal offices of Courbevoie and Puteaux), which is in charge of the file since management agent for all of the city’s real estate assets, only the tenant on the first floor “refused all the rehousing proposals made to her since the takeover”.
Deportation proceedings initiated
At the same time, the daughter and the companion of this Levalloisienne born in 1927 would have come to settle in one of the unoccupied apartments. “The city obtained their eviction in September 2012, but the couple then moved in with the lady on the first floor”, explains the management agent. “It’s not true, my friend has almost always lived here,” replies Hugues, in his sixties, before continuing on the subject of this eviction: “These were maid’s rooms to which we had moved part of the business of the house. first floor apartment. We were indeed forced by justice to get rid of them. »
Despite a demolition permit granted in May 2014, which is still on display, the years go by and the relocation proposals for the soon to be nonagenarian never come to fruition. Before a twist last summer, when the city discovered that the tenant died in August 2021, almost a year earlier.
An eviction procedure is then initiated by the city against the girl and her companion since the “1948 lease” is not transferable. The couple, who therefore found themselves occupying without right or title, tried, in vain, to negotiate being able to stay for a while longer. A first hearing was scheduled for February 8, before the litigation judge of the Courbevoie proximity chamber, which depends on the Nanterre court.
“We know we have to go. We are just asking for a delay”
“The companion of the daughter of the deceased tenant appeared alone and requested legal aid, justifying being at the RSA, which resulted in the dismissal of the hearing next June”, explains Maître Christine Echalier Dalin , a specialist in real estate law who has been following the case for more than ten years.
“Legally, nothing could be done until the death of the tenant in title”, she continues, before concluding: “We hope that a lawyer will indeed be appointed for the hearing on June 8, otherwise it will take a send back again, with the risk of ending up in a winter truce period for expulsions until spring 2024.”
“We know full well that we have to leave. We are just asking for a delay”, assures the occupant of the apartment, specifying that the rent (420 euros per month, charges included for 120 m2) has always been paid by the daughter of the former tenant, a financial analyst. “We don’t want to prevent anything, just wait for my friend’s retirement in early 2026 to go to the provinces”, he adds, specifying nevertheless that “the building dating from 1865 is part of the city’s heritage and should not be destroy “.