A symbolic gesture to a vulnerable population. Paris’ three main social landlords have decided not to increase their rents in 2026, citing reasons to support purchasing power, Paris city hall announced.
The leasing parties are the Real Estate Agency of the City of Paris, Habitat Paris and Elogie-Siemp, three organizations led by elected officials from the City of Paris who “strongly encouraged” this decision, according to Jacques Baudrier, PCF deputy at city hall, responsible for Housing.
This decision, taken less than four months before the municipal elections, will benefit 225,000 households. These three landlords account for 80% of Paris’ social housing according to him.
Oualid Akkari, president of the Paris National Housing Confederation (CNL) federation, which defends social housing tenants, welcomed the “important victory” after “years of fighting”. “The last frost occurred in 2017,” according to him.
Paris city hall described the measure as “extraordinary” and ensuring “increased support for social landlords”, according to Jacques Baudrier who cited a budget of 500 million euros for subsidies to social landlords taking effect in 2025.
LFI condemns opportunistic actions
For the campaign team of Sophia Chikirou, head of the La France insoumise list for the Paris municipal elections, the rent freeze is “opportunism ahead of the municipal elections”. “Freezing today what exploded yesterday is not housing policy,” the press release said.
“We ask for firm guarantees: no catch-up in 2027, no hidden increases through fees, no circumvention to the detriment of tenants,” the LFI listing added.
Social housing rents can be increased annually based on the rental reference index (IRL), calculated by INSEE. For 2026, this increase cannot exceed 1.04%.
Île-de-France has more than one million requests for social housing, representing 17% of all households.
