Indicator history

Halde notes that the application of an immigrant, or of a person of immigrant origin, to rent an appartment is often refused although coming with all the required financial guarantees. Generally, the applicant is told that the appartment is not to rent anymore or has already been rented to someone else.

In 2010 the mayor of Pont-de-Chéruy (Isère) was found guilty of racial discrimination and sentenced by the Grenoble Court of Appeal to a 5-year deprivation of his civil rights (implying his ineligibility), as well as to pay for compensation 13000 euros to one of the claimants, 3000 euros to the other, and 1500 to the NGO "SOS Racisme" that supported the claimants. The mayor was convicted of having "wrongfully used his pre-emptive right to a discriminatory end" in order to "prevent potential buyers - with a North African-sounding name - of real estate to settle in the city". A police investigation had previously shown that, between 1998 and 2003, 1,5% of buyers from European origin were faced with a pre-emption of the mayor in this city, whereas it was the case for 53% of buyers from North African or Turkish origin.

HALDE Report 2011