Urban Policy in France

 

Historical Background

 

Key Dates

1988 Creation of the Comité interministériel des villes (Inter-ministerial Committee for Cities), Conseil national des villes (National Council for Cities) and DIV (Inter-ministerial Delegation for Urban and Social Development)

1990 Creation of the Ministry of Urban Affairs

1992 Launch of major urban projects

1994 Implementation of the Inter-Ministerial Fund for Cities

1996 Creation of ZFUs (Economic Opportunity Areas) and ZUSs (Sensitive Urban Areas)

1997 Launch of local security contracts

1998 Launch of 2000-2006 city contracts

1999 Launch of major city projects

2003 Creation of the Agence nationale pour la rénovation urbaine (National Urban Renewal Agency) and Observatoire national des ZUS (National Observatory of Critical Urban Areas)

2007 Launch of the Agence nationale pour la cohésion sociale et l’egalité des chances (ACSE, National Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunities) and the new Urban Contracts for Social Cohesion (CUCS). Creation of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and of the Department of Urban Policy

2008 Launch of the Espoir banlieues (Suburban Hope) plan

2009 The DIV becomes the Secrétariat général du comité inter-ministériel des villes (SG CIV)

 

Key Figures

 

Since 2003, ONZUS (National Observatory of Sensitive Urban Areas) has been evaluating the differences in development between neighbourhoods and sensitive urban areas. As the table shows, 4.4 million people live in 751 ZUSs in mainland France and in overseas territories. This amounts to approximately 7% of the total French population. In these sensitive urban areas, 17% of residents are foreign nationals (compared to the 6% national average) and 32% of these residents are under 20, compared with 25% in mainland France as a whole. The special characteristics of the ZUSs pose different problems for policy-makers. It is for this reason that a special policy has been developed for these areas.

 

Table 1.0: key figures on the French Zones Urbaine Sensibles (ZUS)*

 

Indicators	ZUS	National Average
Unemployment rate of 15-59 year-olds (2008)	16,9 %	7,7 %*
Unemployment rate of 15-24 year-olds 2006
Men	41.7%	19.1%*
Women	29.6%	16.1%*
Average annual taxable income per consumption unit (2006)	€11 755	€20 947
Pupils 2 years or more behind at the beginning of secondary education (2007-2008 school year)	3.7%	1.7% (France excluding ZUS)
Success rate at the national Brevet diploma (June 2008)	71.9%	84% (France excluding ZUS)

*Other neighbourhoods in the urban area

 

*2007 Census figures

 

 

Basics of the Urban System

 

In 2007, the old city contracts were replaced by the simpler and more readable urban contracts for social cohesion (CUCS). These contracts between the State and the communes are concerned with structures of inter-municipal co-operation and are signed for renewable three-year periods. The contracts establish a framework for the implementation of social and urban development projects in deprived neighbourhoods. This new generation of contracts focuses on more specific action plans which are more thoroughly evaluated.

 

Inter-Ministerial Committee for Cities

 

The priorities of the French urban policy for the improvement of deprived neighbourhoods, Politique de la ville, are education, improved access, employment and security for all the residents of deprived areas. As all the ministries concerned are members of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Cities (CIV), they are committed to these objectives. The CIV is a decision-making body which meets twice a year under the authority of the Prime Minister. It determines three-year ministerial programmes, allocates resources and monitors the results. The CIV is not a forum but a working environment where ministers examine thematic dossiers on all targeted neighbourhoods. It is therefore different from the CNV (National Council of Cities) whose role is advisory. The SG (General Secretariat) of the CIV assumes general secretariat duties for the CIV.

 

Legal Framework of Urban Policy

 

To respond to the combined difficulties affecting these territories, the Politique de la Ville covers a broad variety of interventions which complement other public policies (education, housing, social action, etc.). The support of all stakeholders is required in order for action to be taken simultaneously atall levels: social and cultural development, economic revitalisation, employment development, urban renewal and improvement in the quality of life, security, citizenship and crime prevention, healthcare, etcetera.

 

The principal guidelines of this inter-ministerial policy have been defined by the CIV since 1988. Chaired by the Prime Minister, this government body combines all ministries involved in urban affairs. The French urban policy is implemented by local authorities. It is also more generally based on the commitment of public organisations, social landlords, family allowance funds, associations and economic institutions, and the participation of neighbourhood residents.

 

The State offers contracts to local authorities. These contracts are established between prefects and mayors or structures of the EPCI (Public Institution for Inter-Municipal Co-operation) chairmen and focus on priority areas jointly identified by the parties. In 2007, the CUCS (Urban Contract for Social Cohesion) replaced the last generation of city contracts. The CUCSs define a development project for each neighbourhood, and plan specific actions in five priority domains: housing and quality of life; employment and economic development; education; citizenship and crime prevention; healthcare.

 

The neighbourhoods concerned are identified based on economic and social indicators in order to improve action efficiency and to assess results while avoiding the dispersal of resources.

 

To implement the urban policy, a specific organisation has progressively been developed since the late 1980s. Ultimately, this resulted in 1990 in the creation of a Ministry of Urban Affairs, which was given its own budget in 1994, and the creation of an advisory body, the Conseil national des villes (CNV, National Council for Cities) chaired by the Prime Minister or the Minister in charge of the Politique de la ville (urban affairs). The SG CIV (General Secretariat for Urban and Social Development) is under the direct authority of the Minister in charge of the Politique de la ville. The SG CIV prepares and implements the decisions of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Cities (CIV).

 

Created in 1988 under the name of DIV, the SG CIV is responsible for designing, co-ordinating and assessing French urban policy for the improvement of deprived neighbourhoods. It defines and monitors the budget and the resources applied. It also develops ideas and detects innovative initiatives. Its responsibilities under the Minister in charge of the Politique de la ville include the administrative management and co-ordination of two agencies: ANRU (National Urban Renewal Agency) and ACSE (National Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunities).

 

ANRU (National Urban Renewal Agency) was created in 2007. ANRU is in charge of the National Urban Renewal Programme (PNRU), the objective of which is to renovate 530 neighbourhoods by 2013, with a total investment budget of nearly €40 billion. ANRU was created to simplify the measures taken by local authorities and social landlords interested in promoting complete renovation projects within their neighbourhoods. This “one-stop shop” for project funding includes the following national urban renewal stakeholders: State; UESL (Social Economy Union for Housing) which manages the 1% logement programme (1% housing aid); Action Logement(Action Logement) ; Caisse des Dépôts (Securities Deposit?); ANAH (National Housing Agency).

 

The ACSE (National Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunities) manages social development programmes (education, healthcare, crime prevention, social connections, economic development, access to employment, etc.) which are beneficial to the residents of critical neighbourhoods. Created at the end of 2006, the ACSE is also more generally involved in the fight against discrimination and illiteracy and the implementation of voluntary civil services. Its annual intervention budget is approximately €500 million, more than two-thirds of which is dedicated to the Politique de la ville.

 

The French urban policy for the improvement of deprived neighbourhoods would not exist without a network of local stakeholders working together to implement policy in these areas. Cities, urban conurbations, départements and regions mobilise their own services and rely on a network of professionals in the social, economic and urban domains: urban policy project managers, co-ordinators, project leaders, social workers, mediators, etcetera.

Other partners such as family allowance funds and social landlords are involved systematically. Seventeen resource centres are responsible for training these professionals and capitalising on their experience. The connection with residents is achieved via numerous associations working in neighbourhoods on a daily basis.

The following decentralised state services are also directly mobilised for the benefit of urban development: the national education system, the police, the justice system, departments (départements)of infrastructures, housing, employment, social services, culture, youth and sport and healthcare.

 

Prefects and sub-prefects are assigned specific tasks related to French urban policy. Divided over six departments (départements), the prefects appointed to promote equal opportunities are at the heart of the co-ordination process. Prefect delegates have also been appointed to 350 priority neighbourhoods to reinforce the action of State services designed to benefit residents.

 

 

Successful Innovations (This text will be put in a subsection of a page)

 

Dotation de solidarité urbaine (Urban Solidarity Grant)

A grant is allocated to the poorest communes to give them the resources to take action. The amount of this solidarity grant was doubled between 2005 and 2009 (i.e. more than €600 million was allocated in additional funds).

 

“2nd chance” programme

The “2nd chance” programme gives all young people leaving the education system without qualifications or diplomas access to employment opportunities. This programme is primarily based on the actions of “2nd chance schools” and EPIDE (Public Institution for Vocational Integration in the Defence Sector).

 

Ville-vie-vacances(VVV, “City-Living-Holidays” programme)

This programme is primarily aimed at 11 to18 year-olds in critical neighbourhoods who are unable to go on holiday. Every year, the VVV enables 800,000 disadvantaged adolescents to play sports and take part in recreational activities. The programme is sponsored by nearly 2,200 associations. The 2007 budget was set at €10 million.

 

PNRU (National Urban Renewal Programme)

Launched in 2003, the objective of this programme is to completely renovate 530 neighbourhoods by 2013. Approximately 5 million residents are affected by these demolition-reconstruction-renovation operations of housing and public facilities.

 

Zones franches urbaines (ZFU, Economic Opportunity Areas)

One hundred ZFUs have been created in order to attract companies and to develop the economic activity and employment in sensitive neighbourhoods,. Companies located in these areas benefit from a full range of tax and social security contribution exemptions. In exchange, one-third of their new recruits must be ZUS residents.

 

Ateliers santé ville (Health and City Workshops)

These workshops establish a network of health professionals (municipal health services, health centres, mother-and-child protection, etc.) who, in turn, develop health projects adapted to the requirements of those living in precarious situations and those with specific problems (addiction, psychological problems, obesity, limited access to healthcare etc.). The 2007 budget was set at €11 million.

 

Réussite éducative (Educational Success Programme)

Launched in 2005, this programme aims at creating 750 multi-disciplinary teams (teachers, educators, psychologists, child psychiatrists, social workers, etc.) to work on an individual basis and outside school hours with children and teenagers experiencing serious difficulties. The budget for 2007 was set at €109 million.

 

Conclusion

 

French Politique de la ville is directed towards all levels of governance. Local, regional and national stakeholders are involved within a national framework and through the development of local agreements (CUCS), in a joint programme for urban, social and economic development of deprived neighbourhoods. Designed to upgrade these areas, this integrated approach generates various projects based on solid partnership.