These students thought they were safe. But between January 2022 and February 2023, the administrative courts ordered the expulsion of 193 residents of Crous university residences. Figures revealed by the Abbé-Pierre Foundation, which lifts the veil on these painful situations in a report published this Thursday. The student towns where tensions over housing are greatest are most affected: Aix-en-Provence, Lille, Versailles and Paris.
In half of the cases, these evictions result from financial difficulties experienced by students, who are no longer able to pay their rent. No wonder according to Manuel Domergue, head of studies at the Abbé-Pierre Foundation: “The social context is alarming: 20% of students are below the poverty line, 46% are forced to work during their studies, and the queues food distributions are getting longer.” A situation that Rojda experienced in 2022. This Syrian, studying for a cinema degree in Paris, received a scholarship from an association helping Syrian students in France. But “for lack of subsidies, it reduced the amount of scholarships allocated. And I only received 200 euros instead of 700. Impossible to pay my rent for a year, ”she explains to 20 minutes.
The Cnous “75% disagree with the findings of the report”
More rarely, these expulsions are due to the non-renewal in time of the request for accommodation or the loss of student status. If these evictions are possible, it is also because tenants of university residences are less protected than those under common law. “They do not benefit from the winter break, from the referral to the commission for coordinating actions to prevent rental evictions, from the delays before eviction…”, lists Manuel Domergue. And if the Crous are launching legal action against certain residents, it is because of their budgetary imperatives, according to Pauline Portefaix, study manager at the Abbé-Pierre Foundation: “Their catering activity is in deficit, the Budget revenues are made on housing. And student arrears, which are around 1,700 euros on average, threaten the budget surplus. The number of accommodations offered by the CROUS being low, this also leads them to a principle of non-renewal of 60% of residents’ occupancy contracts, in order to guarantee new high school graduates a place.
Asked by 20 minutes, Clément Cadoret, deputy general director of the Cnous (National Center for University and School Works) declares himself “75% in disagreement with the findings and analysis of the Abbé-Pierre Foundation report” and indicates that “the expulsions are very rare and carried out only as a last resort. He also emphasizes the Crous prevention policy: “We have recruited 30% additional social service assistants in two years to strengthen support for students in difficulty”.
“I slept alternately with friends and on the street”
Another shocking point, according to Pauline Portefaix: “Some Crous try to accelerate the departure of these students by using sometimes brutal methods: changing locks, calling parents, cutting off electricity, removing personal belongings…”. Some students also leave the premises before the start of the legal proceedings. “It’s absolutely not a network-wide generality, although it could have happened locally. We will put an end to this type of behavior if they happen again”, assures Clément Cadoret.
The conditions in which these expulsions take place also pose a problem: in 127 cases occurring out of the 193 recorded between January 2022 and February 2023 (i.e. 57%), they took place without delay. And when deadlines were granted, they range from 5 to 15 days maximum. Rojda testifies to this: “On August 31, 2022, I was thrown out of my room in 15 minutes with all my belongings. They demagnetized my access card to the residence. For a month, I slept alternately with friends and on the street,” she says. Some Crous do not know the procedure in the event of expulsion or do not respect it.
“Some young people end up stopping their studies”
We see it with Rodja, once thrown out, it is not easy for students to find accommodation as the market is so tight. Especially since these situations affect students who are initially isolated: “Many are foreigners or have broken up with their families. Some end up stopping their studies,” notes Manuel Domergue. This is what happened to the young Syrian: “Impossible to continue my studies while being homeless”. She ended up finding accommodation thanks to an association. Having refugee status, she is now looking for work.
It remains to be seen what resonance this study will have, knowing that the Minister of Higher Education will hold her back-to-school press conference this Friday. According to Marianne Yvon, head of the housing solidarity space at the FAP, measures could be taken to avoid these painful situations: “We must review the rental regime for Crous tenants to give them procedural guarantees in the event of eviction (deadline , observance of the winter break, consigned personal effects, etc.). »
Only 6% of students housed by Crous
But above all, it is work to prevent expulsions that should be carried out: “It is necessary that each student in difficulty can be supported by a social worker who will mobilize financial aid,” she continues. Finally, the Foundation underlines the urgency of developing university housing by building 15,000 places per year, and of enforcing rent controls in certain university towns (30% of announcements do not do this).
Because today, only 6% of all 2.7 million students are housed in residences managed by the Crous. Recommendations that Clément Cadoret “shares 75%”. During a meeting with the general directors of the CROUS this Thursday, he insisted on the harmonization of practices and the improvement of information for students on the renewal of accommodation requests, possible financial aid, etc.