The Solidaires union had initiated legal proceedings against the requisition of 3,000 housing units to accommodate the personnel of the Games, the Council of State – seized of an appeal by the Crous Paris – ruled that there was no need to rule.
The demand from Crous Paris had sparked controversy. In a decision handed down last Friday, the Council of State cleared up doubts about the legality of the requisitions of student housing for the 2024 Olympics. At the end of August, the administrative court of Paris had suspended in summary proceedings the decision of the Crous to limit the leases of student housing for the Games to June 30.
Based on an email from the Crous sent to students in May 2023, the Solidaires union had initiated legal proceedings against the requisition of 3,000 Crous housing units to accommodate security forces, health workers, emergency responders, and security agents for the Olympics. But the Council of State, seized of an appeal by the Crous Paris, ruled last Friday that there was no need to rule.
The highest administrative jurisdiction considers that the very object of the dispute, namely the email sent to students, has lost its effect since the student admission campaign for the 2023/2024 academic year, which foresees the end of leases on June 30 and a decision by the board of directors of Crous Paris dated November 6.
This decision guarantees “the renewal of the right of occupancy of students occupying accommodation in one of the residences that will be made available to State personnel participating in the organization and smooth running” of the Olympics and “will grant them various aids to overcome the consequences of a change of accommodation and university residence,” the Council of State said.
The jurisdiction also recalls that Crous is legally authorized to offer leases of less than a year to students and can rent these premises during the period “to the State to accommodate mobilized personnel” for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Higher Education “takes note of the decision of the Council of State and recalls that contrary to persistent disinformation, there has never been any question of depriving a single student of housing during the Games.”
Contacted, the lawyer for the Solidaires union, Me Marion Ogier, was not immediately available. More than 2,000 students benefiting from Crous will need to be relocated.
Students who will have their Crous housing requisitioned during the Paris Olympics will also receive a “100 euro” indemnity and “two tickets” to attend “Olympic events”. This announcement has also sparked numerous criticisms.
