In Paris, Tough Talk on Income Segregation

As is so often the case worldwide, many Parisians live in communities distinguished by class. The city government wants to change that by inserting thousands of public housing units in wealthy central districts.

2 minute read

May 31, 2016, 7:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Pont Neuf

Luciano Mortula / Shutterstock

Like many European cities (and, increasingly, American ones), Paris has a rich city center surrounded by less wealthy outer districts. Most of the city's affordable housing is concentrated in the east, and segregation by wealth is becoming a problem for the current city government. In response, Paris "is building a large amount of [affordable units] between now and 2020, with one significant twist. Almost 5,000 of these new affordable units will be built in the city's center and west, giving future tenants some of the wealthiest neighbors in all France." 

On top of that, Feargus O'Sullivan writes, "Paris hopes to create 7,000 new public housing units every year between now and the next elections in 2020. Given that only 5,000 units in total are planned for especially prosperous areas across this period, that means that most new units will still be created in the less wealthy east, where most of the city's public housing is already concentrated." 

Paris Habitat Commissioner Ian Brossat maintains that the city has the budget to acquire expensive central properties and build affordable housing, saying, "I am very clearly taking on the political objective of rebalancing [the city]. We want to avoid having two Parises, even if it is expensive to do so."

An admirable goal, but vested neighborhood interests and the gravitational pull of central districts on real estate money will be hard to beat. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2016 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

7 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14 - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press