Strasbourg awarded 540,000 euros after State fails to provide emergency housing

The French administrative court has ordered the State to reimburse the city of Strasbourg and its Social Action Center (CCAS) approximately 540,000 euros for costs incurred regarding emergency housing for homeless individuals.

The ruling, dated July 28, addresses expenses paid by the municipality to house homeless people in a municipal gymnasium following the successive evacuations of a camp in the city center between 2022 and 2023. The court found that the State failed to meet its legal obligations to guarantee the right to housing for people in distress, noting that while municipalities can provide support, they are not intended to bear these costs long-term.

The total amount includes roughly 242,284 euros to the city, 294,669 euros to the CCAS, and 3,000 euros in legal fees. This decision stems from a legal action initiated in 2024 by Strasbourg alongside several other major cities, including Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, and Rennes, targeting the State's perceived deficiency in managing emergency shelter needs.