"Studies are being carried out to determine the extent of the damage": in Draguignan, the (slow) battle against substandard housing

In the old town center of Draguignan, some buildings are in poor condition. Cracked plaster, faded paint, and sometimes even the housing infrastructure is in danger of collapsing.

In Draguignan, around ten buildings are affected by imminent danger orders, issued in 2024 and since the beginning of 2025. "These are tenants, or owner-occupiers, or other stakeholders who report problems of this kind ," explains Sylvie Francin, deputy mayor responsible for housing. Studies are carried out to determine the extent of the damage . Depending on this, we take action with safety measures."

Reinforcements are being placed on weakened walls and floors and on windows, particularly with the help of props. If necessary, complete rehousing of the residents is carried out.

A renovation supported by the co-owners

Each building is being monitored by the municipality. Among them is 38 Boulevard de la Liberté, near the Brocante du Cœur. "This is a file for which the owners are active. The necessary steps have been taken ," reports Sylvie Francin. "We are closely monitoring each file." The same goes for the building located at 9 Rue des Marchands, "for which the order has been lifted," says the elected official. For 54 Rue de Trans, "the building has been emptied. We are currently studying the owners' capacity to carry out the work, particularly on a floor that presents significant risks," explains Sylvie Francin.

"When these buildings are owned by private individuals, there is a major difficulty: the work must be approved at a general meeting . But above all, the operations must be fully funded before they can be launched," explains Jean-Michel Cohen, general manager of Saiem Draguignan. "Individuals have limited resources, so this takes even more time."

A situation attributable to the building located at 22 Place du Marché: "The Ferran agency is managing it with the property manager. Calls for funds are underway."

More generally, "there is a real dynamic of urban renovation on the part of the owners of the old town center," notes Sylvie Francin. Requests for aid for the repair of roofs and facades are increasing. Since the first operation to eliminate unsanitary housing (RHI), we have noted an increase in the price per square meter in the neighborhood.

What happens when the owners of these buildings do not have the financial means to carry out the work?

The town hall and Saiem as a last resort

"There are works carried out ex officio in cases of extreme urgency that the town hall can order, but a recovery order will be sent to the owners in installments ," explains Sylvie Francin. "Otherwise, we are obliged to buy back the buildings in order to then be able to renovate them." The town then acquires the properties in its own funds or via the Saiem or the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Public Land Establishment (EPF Paca).

The objective is to redevelop the interior of the buildings in question or demolish them and rebuild them. "That's what we did on Rue de l'Observance, opposite the fountain, and on Rue de Trans, where the Caboch'arts are located," explains Jean-Michel Cohen, a landlord and developer. "While it takes a property developer four years to build a residence, we take at least six to redevelop a block."

Resolving insalubrity at the heart of the action

Because we must first proceed with securing, but also with the acquisition. "It takes time because we want to acquire these properties amicably from each owner, sometimes there are joint ownerships or Civil Real Estate Companies (SCI) with many partners behind them. This lengthens the timeframe," explains Sylvie Barbero, project manager at Saiem. "These purchases are made at a reduced price given the condition of the property," explains Jean-Michel Cohen.

This is particularly the case for the four buildings on rue de l'Observance, from numbers 44 to 50, which were subject to a new safety order on May 22. "They are part of the Observance block identified by the town hall as part of the program for the Resorption of Unsanitary Housing (RHI) on which we are working. Of the four, numbers 46 and 48 are the most problematic."

Almost 11 million euros of investments

"For the moment, we are working on securing and consolidating the buildings. These operations are eligible for grant applications from the National Housing Agency (ANAH)," explains Sylvie Barbero. "For renovation or reconstruction, it is the responsibility of the municipality or the developer to pay," summarizes Jean-Michel Cohen. A significant financial burden. And for good reason, the eight blocks included in the program require a total projected expenditure of 10.94 million euros excluding tax for an estimated 7.6 million euros in revenue. The difference will be made up by the City.

"The Mireur Island, which concerns the building behind the toy store on the Place du Marché, but also the buildings opposite the Saint-Michel church," explains Sylvie Barbero. "In this case, we are having difficulty buying all the properties. This is a long process with each owner. We also have a remarkable heritage on this site, with a watchtower and ramparts."

A ridge line to hold, which is done more over the duration of a marathon, rather than a sprint.

"We have smaller blocks like Grand Rue, at 17-19. Here, we were able to buy everything and renovate by expanding the living areas of the dwellings from one room to two or more depending on the space," explains Jean-Michel Cohen. 91 dwellings are affected by our operations. We plan to deliver 62 of them."

"The old town center is known for its extremely small homes, but also for its blind rooms, meaning they have no windows. We must therefore rethink everything while preserving the neighborhood's heritage character," concludes Sylvie Francin. "These operations take a very long time, much longer than a mayor's term."