Posted on Feb 18, 2019 2021 at 8:02
In the territory of the 59 municipalities of the Lyon metropolitan area, the number of new housing reservations fell from 5,364 in 2016 to 3,000 last year. A drop of 33% in one year. And above all, a continuous erosion of which the promoters are struggling to see the end. “The dynamic of the increase in the population was well accompanied by the supply of new housing until 2016, but since the production has failed to keep up,” laments Eric Verrax, president of Cecim (study center of the real estate economy).
Like reservations, sales are also down. They went from more than 4,000 units in 2019 to less than 3,000 last year. The consequence is implacable, to date only 2,855 new apartments are available in the metropolis of Lyon. “This lack of supply stems mainly from the difficulties encountered by the profession in obtaining building permits. The revision of the PLU-H, the health crisis and the municipal elections have severely hampered exits from operations, ”explains Philippe Layec, President of the Federation of Property Developers of the Lyonnaise Region.
Rising price
Under the effect of the scarcity of supply, prices are rising. The average price excluding parking for 2020 is thus, at 5,025 euros per square meter, up 7% compared to 2019. In Lyon intra muros, it now reaches 5,767 euros per meter. In some districts such as the sixth, the average price per square meter has exceeded 8,200 euros. In the very popular 4th, it stands at 7,512 euros. For professionals, the only way to stop the increase in prices is to increase the number of programs to bring supply closer to demand. “When we offer the offer, it sells,” slams Eric Verrax.
Production is especially lacking within metropolitan borders, as last year the number of sales of new apartments increased outside the metropolis (+ 13%) while it fell by 27% in 57 municipalities of the metropolis and even 41% in Lyon and Villeurbanne. And now the specter of urban sprawl, yet strongly opposed by elected officials from all sides in recent years, resurfaces. Especially since the first signs sent by the new elected officials hardly reassure the promoters. Between modification of the PLU-H to increase the production of affordable housing, inclinations of pre-emption by the metropolis of more and more land and reluctance of certain elected officials at the time of initialing the building permits, professionals are getting impatient.
Social housing
Paradoxically, the justice of the peace may come from social housing. A segment on which the metropolis wants to work hard with the promise to deliver 6,000 social housing units at the end of their mandate. Even if a good part of the production effort is expected from social landlords, bulk sales within private programs will also be an important lever.
A warning sign or a simple combination of circumstances, last year these bulk sales almost doubled. Social landlords were thus able to acquire 856 housing units, while the production of affordable housing reached 127 units and equaled its record level in 2017. “Private development contributes strongly to the increase in the social rental stock through its off-plan social mix. The drop in sales will therefore have a direct impact on the future production of social housing, ”warn developers and housing builders.
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