A €3 million plan for inclusive housing

The inauguration of inclusive housing supported by the association APF France Handicap, on September 18, served as the backdrop for the announcement of a major departmental policy in favor of the autonomy of people with disabilities.

In the presence of future residents, partners, and local elected officials, Jean-Louis Masson, president of the Département, presented a structured and costed roadmap, aiming to position the territory as a national pioneer in inclusion.

La Garde, a model of integration

The exemplary project illustrates the departmental ambition. Former Appartements de Préparation et d’Entraînement à l’Autonomie (APEA) have been transformed into ten permanent housing units, integrated within a residential complex of 80 apartments.

This diversity, at the heart of the system, aims to break isolation and build social connections. The financial support of the Département is reflected in an annual grant of €75,000, allocated to fund the Aide à la Vie Partagée (AVP), allowing the presence of two coordinators who ensure cohesion and daily support.

Added to this is a budget of €30,900 for the renovation of a common space, the "appartement rendez-vous", open to all residents of the complex. This model, praised by the leaders of APF France Handicap and SAGEM, the social landlord, demonstrates a commitment to building solutions tailored to local needs.

Beyond the technical aspects, this initiative is part of a paradigm shift. The challenge, hammered home by the president of the Département, is to offer a concrete alternative to specialized institutions.

To offer every person with a disability the means to choose their life, their housing, and their place in society

This vision conceives inclusive housing no longer as a simple medico-social offer, but as a real lever for empowerment and the exercise of citizenship. The establishment of these residences in the heart of cities, close to shops and services, aims to guarantee effective inclusion and combat any form of ghettoization.

The Département, strategic pilot

Faced with what he calls a "major demographic challenge", Jean-Louis Masson claims the role of conductor for the Département.

Since 2022, the local authority has chaired the Commission des Financeurs de l’Habitat Inclusif (CFHI), a body that brings together the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS), social landlords, and associations. This coordination makes it possible to build a coherent territorial policy and optimize investments.

When the Département, municipalities, associations, and landlords join forces, the model works and tangibly transforms the daily lives of residents

Its strategy relies on already tangible results: 40 projects are planned in the territory, including 21 already open in 18 municipalities, benefiting 163 people. More than €250,000 has been committed to adapting seven living spaces.

Building on this track record, the Département is accelerating. Jean-Louis Masson announced the launch of a new call for expressions of interest to fund more than 100 additional Aides à la Vie Partagée.

The ambition is to reach 450 AVP by 2029-2030, supported by an annual budget that will then rise to €3 million. This major financial effort confirms the place of autonomy as an absolute priority of departmental action.