Toulouse: “historic victory” for the inhabitants of the squats
“ This decision is a FIRST for the Toulouse squats! Indeed, such long deadlines (one year then 9 months) have never been granted for a public building occupied illegally. It is therefore a historic legal victory! », Enthuses the press release of the association DAL 31 (Right to Housing).
The Toulouse tax center at 36 rue Roquelaine, emptied by the General Directorate of Public Finance in November 2019, has been occupied since January 2020 by twelve people including five children. A first legal victory had already been obtained by the inhabitants in December 2020.
” A decision that was extremely favorable to the inhabitants “, Believes Louise Chamagne, lawyer at DAL 31, urging the owner of the premises to appeal. But here again, the Administrator of Public Finances was a big disappointment: on October 28, the Court of Appeal ruled once again in favor of the inhabitants and postponed the expulsion date by nine months. ” The renewable tenancy period ordered at first instance did not comply with the law, which limits it to 36 months. We could not hope that this decision would hold. On the other hand, nine more months in this context is an unprecedented victory », Continues the lawyer. The inhabitants therefore have until the end of June to vacate the premises. Date corresponding to the end of the school period.
” The Court of Appeal understood the hypocrisy which consisted in asking for the eviction of families from an empty building belonging to the State, when on the other side, this same State is unable to provide them with a stable accommodation even though court decisions require it », Analyzes Louise Chamagne. Indeed, the prefecture was at odds with the inhabitants of 36 rue Roquelaine. They had their right to opposable accommodation recognized and the administrative court had issued injunction judgments in their favor, forcing the prefecture to find them stable accommodation. Judgments, however, not followed up.
On the other hand, there was no urgency for the deputy head of public finances to recover his empty building. ” The owner invokes exclusively budgetary reasons », Writes the Court of Appeal in its judgment, consulted by Reports de Force. A reason that did not convince the judge, prompting him to make a historic decision for the Toulouse squats.
Photo credit: DAL31