Chronique d'une institution : la "sonacotra" (1956-1976)

Abstract

MARC BERNARDOT Chronicle of an Institution: the «Sonacotra» (or National construction company for workers) (1956-1976) During the Algerian War and at a time when France was facing an acute housing shortage, the Ministry of the Interior decided to create an original form of housing company -the Sonacotra (from the french Société nationale de construction pour les travailleurs algériens, or National Construction Company for Algerians Workers)-with the specific goal to building and administering accommodation for unmarried guest workers living in France. Under the pressure of shantytowns springing up around Paris, Lyon and Marseille, Sonacotra applied this policy to the campaign against unhealthy housing conditions in areas where communities of «North Africans» were concentrated. The clearance of slums and prefabriqued housing provided an opportunity to select populations in the process of urban redevelopment. Unmarried foreign men where housed in specials hostels and the North-African families were given accommodation in the emergency temporary housing estates built on the outskirts of the cities. In contrast, however, French families were given accommodation in social programmes in renovated areas. This policy enabled Sonacotra to organize high-profile renovation and urban development programmes leading to the elimination of marginal forms of dwelling such as lodging houses and squats. But the negative side effect of this urban renovation policy was the concentration and stigmatisation of the residents of the hostels and housing estates.