“Father Forced to Live in Truck for 9 Months in Search of Social Housing”

Arriving in Pornichet in September 2022 to live with his children, Alexandre Lallemand had great difficulty finding social housing in the area. A situation that forced him to live 9 months in his truck.

Keep out of the limelight

Wednesday March 22, 2023, market day in Pornichet. It is also the day of custody ofAlexandre Lallemandfather of two children educated in the seaside town of Loire-Atlantique.

As usual, the 50-year-old has parked his truck in the alleys so as not to be noticed and is pacing the halls while waiting for his 8 and 10-year-olds.

Seated, coffee in hand, he despairs:

It’s the biggest birthday today (the day we met, editor’s note) and I don’t even have a place to welcome him and eat a cake.

“Without housing, it is difficult to work”

Arrived from the Hautes-Pyrénées in September 2022the divorced dad landed on the coast to be closer to his children.

But he surely did not expect to meet so many difficulties for housing. “I parked my truck in Saint-Père-en-Retz. I live in it hidden as best as possible so as not to disturb anyone”, he confides to The Echo of the Peninsula.

And for this professional crane operator, currently unemployed, “it’s the dog biting its tail: without housing, it’s difficult to work. However, I love my job,” says Alexandre, who also knows health issues.

“I have guttate psoriasis on my hands. I can’t even bend my hand right now. I am convinced that this is due au stress to find myself in this situation”.

Two to three years of waiting

Obtaining social housing in Pornichet (and in the department in general) is an obstacle course.

The community matters 576 social housing unitsall occupied, either 9 % of the housing stock. However, the legal rate to be reached, set by the law on solidarity and urban renewal (SRU), is of 20 %.

The town hall details:

In 2014, we were at 5%. Of new real estate transactions, 30% are devoted to social issues.

To obtain a place, it is therefore necessary to wait for a move or a new construction.

Nowadays, 679 applicants, are waiting for accommodation. “The waiting period is 2-3 years in our sector”, explains Sandrine Martin, director of the CCAS and of the Families and Solidarity center at the City.

Showers in front of the town hall?

Registered at the municipal social action center (CCAS) in September 2022 and followed by a social worker, Alexandre made requests for housing in Saint-Nazaire, Montoir-de-Bretagne, La Baule, Saint-André-des-Eaux…

But he regrets the slowness of the steps, “ everyone passes on the baby », and castigates:

Lucrative housing interests the municipality more. The City does not like the social and does not want to help people who are really in need.

“In addition, I have no contacts or friends on Pornichet, it does not make things easier. To make himself heard, Alexandre thinks of an action: take showers in front the town hall. “An idea to move things forward”.

Move-in planned in May

The father of the family will not need to put his project into execution… On Wednesday April 19, the good news fell: a appartement To The Baule was assigned to him.

I would have a toilet and a shower. I will finally be able to welcome my children with dignity.

Alexandre should move in in May.

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