Intergenerational habitat

All about shared housing solidarity

Publié le 20 août 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

On the one hand, many pensioners live alone and have one or more rooms available in their accommodation; on the other hand, the housing crisis offers few opportunities for students, trainees, trainees, trainees, young workers... to find accommodation. Intergenerational colocation can be a win-win solution: Service-Public.fr explains how it can be implemented.

Solidarity-based intergenerational cohabitation consists in the provision by the elderly of a part of their dwelling (whether free or not) in exchange for:

  • a regular presence of a young person in the evening and a few weekends (to be defined when the contract is drawn up);
  • and/or the provision of small-scale services (also to be laid down in the contract).

This cohabitation is framed by legislative measures stemming from the law on the evolution of housing, development and digital technology ELAN) of 23 November 2018.

Why choose intergenerational co-location?

For older people, these include

  • combating isolation;
  • create social bonds;
  • charge a small rent (in the case of accommodation with a moderate rent);
  • have a reassuring presence.

For young people, intergenerational cohabitation allows them to benefit from housing that is free of charge (or with moderate rent). It's also an opportunity to connect with a generation with whom he may not necessarily be in touch.

For whom?

All young people under 30 in search of accommodation can be accommodated in people over 60 with at least one additional room to rent.

You can consult the ANIL summary sheet.

Warning  

if the elderly person is himself renting in his accommodation, he must inform his landlord of his wish to rent a room to a young person. In the context of intergenerational cohabitation with solidarity, the donor will not be able to oppose it.

How to create cohabitation?

Associations accompany you in your project of intergenerational cohabitation solidarity. The latter identify and link up elderly and young people seeking housing.

To find out if an association offers this near you, you can consult:

Please note

Other types of joint and several colocations exist, for example:

  • in some cities, the Student Foundation Association for the City offers for a moderate rent (in partnership in particular with Crous, social lenders, local authorities or universities) shared housing for young people aged between 18 and 30, in exchange for solidarity actions to animate the life of the neighborhood in question (activities related to sustainable development, solidarity actions related to the needs of the territory and the inhabitants of the place...);
  • Île-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, social lenders entrust the association L’ACLEF (Association de coopération pour le lodging des études de France) with housing so that it can rent furnished accommodation to students. Meetings are organized between the various tenants benefiting from the scheme to create a framework of conviviality and solidarity but also to meet their need or desire for commitment;
  • different local devices exist (you can search by targeting a particular city).

How does it work?

It is preferable to establish an intergenerational cohabitation contract. The latter is governed by the rules specific to this type of agreement by the Building and Housing Code and the ordinary contract law rules of the Civil Code. This contract will establish:

  • the duration (freely determined between the parties);
  • the financial contribution (if any);
  • the arrangements for cohabitation;
  • reciprocal commitments (for the host: maintenance and guarantee of peaceful use of the premises, for the young person: his presence, small tasks/services, peaceful use of the premises);
  • the period of notice (normally 1 month) if either party terminates the contract.

Different formulae may apply:

  • free accommodation: the elderly person may offer part of his accommodation free of charge in return for small services rendered and/or reassuring presence time (meals, nights, weekends, etc.) without financial participation;
  • subletting: in return for a modest financial contribution, the elderly person provides part of his accommodation.

Warning  

under no circumstances does the young person take the place of care staff or a home help (toilet, getting up, sleeping, medical care...) to be able to benefit from accommodation with an elderly person.

Housing subsidies

Both parties are eligible for housing support, but the criteria for the allocation of the the Housing, Development and Digital Evolution Act of 23 November 2018, known as ELAN.

Two housing aids are possible in the case of intergenerational rental:

  • theAPL (personalized housing assistance) is paid only if the housing is contracted (do a simulation);
  • the SLA (social housing allowance) is paid in other cases. This support can be paid to you if the accommodation is your main residence (at least 8 months per year).

These two aids cannot be combined.

FYI  

The National Agency for Housing Information (ANIL) proposes a summary sheet which summarizes everything you need to know about intergenerational cohabitation.

Additional topics

Agenda

Voir toutes les échéances