The winter break is over and rental evictions are on the rise again, leaving thousands of households, often fragile, without alternative housing.
While the winter break has just endedthere question of rental evictions comes to the fore, in a context of persistent housing crisis and tightening of public policies. Between increased procedures and criticism from associations, the subject crystallizes tensions.
End of winter break and resumption of expulsions
Established in 1956, the winter break suspends rental evictions each year as well as electricity and gas cuts between November 1 and March 31, i.e. during the coldest months. But at the end of this period, the figures show a clear acceleration: in one year, the expulsions carried out with the assistance of the public force increased by 27%, reaching 30,500 interventions, according to the justice commissioners. A level twice as high as that observed in 2016.
This increase is part of a broader trend. In 2024, evictions had already jumped by 87% compared to the previous year, under the combined effect of housing crisis and the deferred processing of numerous unpaid debts inherited from the Covid period.
A tightening contested by housing stakeholders
This dynamic gives rise to strong criticism from the associations. Jean-Baptiste Eyraud, spokesperson for the Droit au Logement (DAL) association, denounces a policy which could further amplify the phenomenon, accusing the Minister of Housing, Vincent Jeanbrun, of want to speed up evictions. The latter partly claims inspiration from the Canadian model, characterized by faster procedures in the event of unpaid debtsbut also by easier access to housing thanks to lower requirements in terms of guarantees. The stated objective: to restore trust between owners and tenants, a condition considered essential in order to resolve the crisis.
On the ground, however, social actors have drawn up a worrying observation. Marie Rothhahn, from the Foundation for Housing the Disadvantaged, warns of a weakening of protections, particularly in a context of worsening precariousness. Aid structures are observing an increase in requests from vulnerable groups, in particular single women with children and the elderly.
According to a Foundation study, nearly a third of evicted households remain without a durable alternative housing solution, sometimes several years after their eviction. A figure which illustrates the depth of the crisis.
