France/DIJON: Habitat et Humanisme provides three new homes for migrants

At 40 rue des Rotondes in Dijon, the former nursery is now transformed into three apartments, a T4 of 84 m2 and two T2. The inauguration on Thursday, December 2, 2021 was the realization of a project dating back to 2019, somewhat slowed by the health crisis.

"Projecting for future fulfilment".

From the call for projects launched by the city of Dijon to the renovation of the premises with the expertise of the architectural firm Art&Fact, Habitat & Humanisme Côte-d'Or has committed 300.300,000 to this project (170 m2 of living space), financed in particular by its Foncière (49 housing units acquired in Côte-d'Or).

More specifically, the three homes will be inhabited by migrants through a partnership with the French Red Cross. A woman and a child have moved in and two other families previously housed at the temporary accommodation centre in Quetigny (CPH) should be selected to integrate these very social housing units.
Director of the Exclusion Unit at the French Red Cross, Myriam Jeannot adds that the families will be supported for six months, renewable, in order to move towards their autonomy and their future installation in social housing under common law. Professional integration can thus be worked on with the tenants.

"We can only be delighted with this partnership", stressed Pierre Pribetich, deputy mayor of Dijon and vice-president of Dijon Métropole in charge of urban planning, insisting on the fact that housing is "the basis of dignity".

Adapting to life in an apartment

In parallel with this first partnership with the French Red Cross, Habitat et Humanisme Côte-d'Or inaugurated an educational apartment at 17 Avenue Edouard Belin on the same day. "The APPED21 aims to raise awareness and provide training in the proper use of an apartment in all its aspects: inventory of fixtures, safety, maintenance, waste sorting, water and energy savings, etc.", explained the association. Adaptation to life in an apartment is sought for people living in hostels or hotels and who are also accompanied towards autonomy.

Acodège and Adefo are partners in the project, which is partly financed with the help of the Family Allowance Fund. Associations or structures, such as the Maison-phare in Fontaine d'Ouche, can ask Habitat et Humanisme to set up awareness-raising sessions lasting a few hours in the teaching apartment.

Source: www.infos-dijon.com