Why Temporary Housing is a Solution for Integration?
Inclusion

Arnaud Hiegel

President — Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil

Why Temporary Housing is a Solution for Integration?

8:42·5 April 2024

This article was automatically translated from its original Français version. Read the original

Arnaud Hiegel is the president of the association Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil, in Maison-Lafitte, which provides temporary housing for those in need.

Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil was founded thirty years ago by Jean-Marc Gelin, with the aim of helping people in precarious situations. Its actions are based on various axes, including social assistance, access to decent housing, and the fight against social exclusion.

In close collaboration with local partners, Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil identifies the specific needs of beneficiaries and provides tailored support:  “help with settling in, assistance with administrative procedures, parenting advice for single mothers, job search, training in family management and budget monitoring, and sometimes even accompaniment to Restos du cœur…” explains Arnaud Hiegel , its president.

More than 200 volunteers work with those in need of support. The association rents 24 properties, known as “bridge apartments,” to house individuals for at least one renewable year: “these are people who generally cannot access the traditional rental market or social housing”.

To date, around fifty people have access to these accommodations: “the most common profile is a single woman with a child” specifies the president of Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil. However, it can also involve individuals who have recently settled in France, lacking a guarantor or sufficient seniority in their profession. “We also have cases of refugees; we housed a Ukrainian family and are currently accommodating two Afghan families.”

If you wish to deepen your knowledge on this topic: https://www.airzen.fr/habitat-et-humanisme-lassociation-qui-agit-contre-le-mal-logement/

Frequently asked questions

  • Bridge housing is a type of temporary accommodation offered by associations like Solidarité Logement Maison-Mesnil. These accommodations are intended for people in precarious situations who cannot access the traditional rental market. Beneficiaries sign a renewable one-year temporary occupancy contract, allowing them to stabilize before finding permanent housing.
Juliette Boulegon
impact.info journalist
Published on 5 April 2024

Transcript

Audio in Français — text automatically translated·AI-generated transcript