Sébastien Lecornu in Marseille, April 23, 2026. THIBAUD MORITZ / AFP
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Thursday, April 23, a new housing bill to speed up construction and give local authorities more decision-making power. One of the proposals is to allow certain homes currently considered too energy‑inefficient to be rented again, provided owners commit to improving their energy performance over time.
Lecornu described the housing crisis as "a key issue" that "cannot wait" until the 2027 presidential election. In January, he set a target of building two million new homes in France by 2030. To hit that goal, the government is pushing streamlining measures, including the creation of a special "local interest operation" with simpler rules and more flexible planning constraints.
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To avoid further cutting the number of rental properties, the government wants to allow the re‑renting of properties classed as energy‑inefficient, provided the owner agrees to carry out upgrades to improve their energy performance. Single‑family houses would have to be upgraded within three years, and apartments in co‑owned buildings within five. Officials estimate this could keep or return roughly 650,000 to 700,000 homes to the rental market by 2028.
According to official statistics, 453,000 homes in the private rental sector are rated "G" in France's energy performance scale – the lowest category – and are already banned from being re-rented when leases expire. Starting in 2028, the 693,000 homes rated "F" will also need to be renovated in order to be rented.
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