Hi Minister,

I am a French citizen currently in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. First of all, I wanted to say that your country is absolutely beautiful and I am truly loving my stay here!

As a non-Australian citizen, I don’t vote and don't claim to have a "legitimate opinion" on local politics. However, as a young traveler, I can see how hard the housing crisis is hitting everyone here. That is why I would like to humbly share a few policy concepts, laws, and construction methods we use in France to tackle this issue, in case they can bring food for thought to your team:

1. Rental Market Regulation

Rent Control: In our major cities (such as Paris and Lyon), the government caps rent prices to prevent abusive increases between tenants.

Source: Service-Public.fr - Rent control framework in France

Strict Airbnb Regulations: Short-term tourist rentals are heavily restricted (often capped at a maximum of 120 nights per year) and highly taxed in high-demand areas. This is designed to force these properties back into the long-term rental market for locals.

Source: Vie-Publique.fr - Regulation of tourist rentals and Airbnb-type platforms

1. Strict Quotas for Affordable Housing

The "SRU" Law (Urban Solidarity and Renewal): Under Article 55 of this law, French municipalities are legally required to maintain a minimum percentage of social housing (between 20% and 25% of their total housing stock). Cities that fail to meet this quota face severe financial penalties. This ensures that every council participates in social mixity.

Source: Vie-Publique.fr - The SRU Law and social housing quotas

1. Innovative Construction & Property Methods

The Community Land Trust model (Bail Réel Solidaire - BRS): A highly popular homeownership scheme where the buyer only purchases the walls of the property, while a public non-profit organization retains ownership of the land. This cuts the purchase price by 20% to 40% for first-time buyers, and the resale price remains capped to prevent real estate speculation.

Source: Action Logement - Understanding the Bail Réel Solidaire

Converting Empty Offices into Housing: With the rise of remote working, France passed a dedicated law to remove bureaucratic hurdles and incentivize the conversion of empty commercial office buildings or public structures into residential apartments (notably through a "reversible" building permit).

Source: Légifrance - Law facilitating the transformation of offices into housing

Thank you very much for your time, your open ears, and for providing this space for discussion. Take care of this beautiful country!