Bill enters final parliamentary stage

The housing revitalization and decentralization bill, passed by the Senate on July 8, is now in the final phase of the legislative process. It is set to be debated in public by deputies starting November 17, following its review by the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly on September 21 and 22. This timeline was confirmed by Vincent Jeanbrun, Minister of Towns and Housing, during a press conference on November 2 at the start of the Real Estate and Housing Week.

Bill aims to stabilize real estate market

The bill seeks to address the current instability in the real estate market by accelerating construction, simplifying urban planning rules, enhancing local officials’ powers, and utilizing existing housing stock. It includes provisions to improve the Jeanbrun fiscal mechanism, which was introduced in the 2026 finance law to support private rental investment, and to facilitate the return of energy-inefficient homes to the market under specific conditions. It also plans to launch a third national urban renewal program, ANRU 3.

Deputy praises bill’s approach

Annaïg Le Meur, deputy of Finistère and president of the National Housing Council, praised the bill for its restructuring and simplification of housing policies. She emphasized the importance of decentralization in allowing local areas to adapt housing strategies to their unique circumstances, highlighting the bill’s focus on flexibility and local governance.

Minister addresses mortgage challenges

Vincent Jeanbrun noted that access to mortgage credit remains a significant barrier to both homeownership and rental investment. He plans to continue discussions with the Ministry of Economy and the Bank of France to explore potential changes to financing conditions, including the possibility of revisiting the 35% effort rate threshold used in mortgage assessments.

Next steps for legislative approval

The minister expressed confidence in the bill’s chances of being adopted, describing it as ambitious yet balanced, having been negotiated with various parliamentary groups. The next steps involve securing approval from deputies and forming a joint parliamentary committee (CMP) to reconcile differences between the National Assembly and the Senate on the final version of the bill.

Urgency for implementation before 2027

Jeanbrun stressed the importance of moving quickly to allow the publication of decrees related to ANRU 3 before the 2027 presidential election. Real estate professionals are hopeful that political compromises will lead to the transformation of the bill’s goals into concrete measures by the end of the year.