Paris is a global cultural capital and one of the most-visited cities in the world. It is also a city where one-third of renters live in social housing. How does the Paris model make that possible, and what can it teach us about the role of the public sector in ensuring housing affordability?

This talk takes a close look at the Paris model of social housing. Tracing its development through two world wars, decolonization, and decades of urban transformation, it considers how the model took shape, the way it functions today, and the political and economic forces shaping its future. At the center of the discussion is the way strong tenant protections, sustained public investment, and a broader social safety net work together to create a housing system that delivers stable and affordable housing.

About Anjali Claes

Anjali Claes is a housing advocate based in Los Angeles. Originally from NYC, she earned her master’s degree in sociology from Université Paris Cité in Paris, specializing in migration studies. During her eight years in Paris, she coordinated a community hosting program for refugees and asylum seekers before joining a regional housing network, where she worked with social housing developers, nonprofits, and housing authorities. She currently works as the Campaign Associate at Housing California and is a member of the Rent Brigade.

About Meg Healy

Meg Healy is an urban planner and housing policy analyst based in Los Angeles. Prior to moving to LA, she spent three years researching Brazil’s social housing system in Rio de Janeiro. She has spent the last nine years active in tenant organizing while working on long-range housing planning agendas and renter protection legislation for the City of Los Angeles.