Elimination of programs to combat energy poverty: the Foundation for Housing the Disadvantaged denounces a “serious social and ecological setback”

Christophe Robert, general delegate of the Foundation for Housing the Disadvantaged, denounced on Friday October 30 on franceinfo a "serious social and ecological setback", while his organization learned of the elimination of programs to combat energy poverty by the government, including its "Toits d'abord" project. Another program canceled next year: a financial program intended for the thermal renovation of public buildings, according to information obtained by franceinfo from the management of Actee, Community Action for energy efficiency. The Foundation for housing for the disadvantaged carries the “Toits d’abord” project, which enables the production of low-rent, comfortable and energy-efficient housing: each year, 500 to 600 housing units benefit from financial support.

The program is partly financed by energy savings certificates (EEC), which the government wishes to transform. CEEs are a private financial system imposed by the State on energy suppliers, who must finance energy efficiency work. “The government absolutely must reverse this decision” Christophe Robert evokes a “very, very bad decision” and his incomprehension, “two months before the renewal of these programs”.

He argues that the Foundation is co-financed "very social housing with very efficient thermal renovations for the poorest people". By producing "very social housing, with the lowest rents and efficient renovations, we are able to considerably reduce household bills in this context of soaring energy prices. We are putting money into this program which comes from the donations we receive, but if these programs were to be eliminated, we would halve the capacity to produce in the years to come", deplores the general delegate of the Foundation for Housing the Disadvantaged.

“The government absolutely must reverse this decision,” he pleads. He defends "small programs which operate in rural areas, in small towns, for the poorest, who will not benefit from this aid if we do not target them to their particular situation." He speaks of "associative work", of "aerial work in the territories with the most disadvantaged households".

Machine-translated from French