France launches national intergenerational co‑habitation housing program

The French government, through a partnership involving the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Veterans, the national real‑estate federation (FNAIM), the Fondation I Loge You and the Cohabilis network, announced a nationwide intergenerational co‑habitation scheme. Launched on 25 June 2026, the programme matches seniors who have spare rooms with students or young workers facing severe housing shortages.

Participants agree that the senior provides accommodation in exchange for a modest contribution to expenses and regular companionship, aiming to reduce student mal‑housing—estimated at one in three students—and alleviate senior social isolation, which affects roughly 750 000 elderly people in France. The initiative is coordinated by Cohabilis, which handles matchmaking, contracts and ongoing support. FNAIM will leverage its network of 50 000 real‑estate professionals and departmental offices to promote the model, including a nationwide advertising campaign in its agencies. Organisers highlight additional ecological benefits from better use of existing housing stock and shared energy consumption.

The effort seeks to create a scalable, socially inclusive solution that addresses both the economic pressures on students and the growing loneliness of older citizens across the country.