After two months of deficiency, housing regains its place within the new Borne government. The transitional government formed pending the legislative elections had not filled this highly sensitive position. It is now done with the appointment of Olivier Klein, mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis), to the post of Minister Delegate for the City and Housing, under the supervision of the Ministry of Ecological Transition. and the cohesion of the territories now embodied by the mayor of Angers, Christophe Béchu (Horizons) replacing Amélie de Montchalin (Renaissance), the big loser in these legislative elections.
Aged 55, Olivier Klein is a connoisseur of the sector: since 2017 he has been president of the National Agency for Urban Renewal (Anru). Former communist who became a socialist then Marcon compatible, which will also earn him his exclusion from the Socialist Party after the municipal elections of 2020.
At the time, he had agreed with LREM (renamed Renaissance) by welcoming several Macronist personalities on his list in exchange for which the party had not presented any candidate against him and allowed his re-election. Labeled Progressive Federation (FP), he positioned himself very early, from 2021, as support for Emmanuel Macron for his re-election.
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At the head now of a double hat, in charge of the City and Housing, his appointment surprised the professionals of the sector without however generating a priori negative. “This is good news, Olivier Klein is a pragmatic elected official who knows the city and renovation well, comments Jean-Marc Torrollion, president of the National Real Estate Federation (FNAIM). From a technical point of view, we take a positive view. »
“From a political point of view, he continues, we are waiting to learn more about his positions on the status of private lessor, his vision on the timetable for banning the rental of the worst energy sieves G from 2025 which does not does not seem appropriate, we advocate alignment with the European directive which requires the renovation of these dwellings before their rental and sale by 2030 for G and 2033 for F… With the appointment of the mayor of Angers (Maine- et-Loire), Christophe Béchu, right-wing man at the Ministry of Ecological Transition, we are gaining an interesting political balance, it is a good signal”, specifies the professional.
The Federation of Real Estate Developers (FPI) also sees these appointments as “a positive sign”. “We are rather happy that builder mayors are appointed, this shows an awareness that the act of building is in danger in France, estimates Pascal Boulanger, its president, inviting the new ministers to his annual congress this Thursday and this Friday. in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin). Put at the helm people who have understood this and are capable of correcting the situation is a good thing because the sector is heading for disaster if nothing is done… We have recorded a 30.5% decline in building permits over one year and we go straight into the wall. »
A balanced duo with Christophe Béchu
Former Minister Delegate for Housing under the Fillon III government and ex-president of In’li, a subsidiary of the Action Logement group dedicated to intermediate housing, the current president of the real estate developer Emerige, Benoist Apparu sees very favorably these new arrivals: “We have an excellent territorial balance with two local elected officials, one representing Île-de-France, the other from the rest of the territory (Maine et Loire). Both are well aware of the equation to be solved to house more inhabitants in less space with climate change and the end of urban sprawl. All in a difficult cycle with rising construction costs, inflation and the lack of appetite of local authorities to build”.
Even satisfaction finally on the side of the HLM Movement. Emmanuelle Cosse, President of the Social Union for Housing (USH), says she is “delighted that there is a Minister Delegate for Housing in full office and not Secretary of State, this corrects the error of the previous five-year term, she points out. I know Olivier Klein and Christophe Béchu well, they are aware of the difficulty of building social and local selfishness, these mayors who do not want social housing”.