Comment Section for Paris Preserves Its Mixed Society by Pouring Billions Into Public Housing - The New York Times

This New York Times article discusses Paris' aggressive approach to maintaining a socioeconomically diverse population by investing heavily in public housing. A quarter of Paris' residents now live in government-owned housing, an increase from 13% in the late 1990s. The city has developed public housing in upscale areas, converted private properties into public housing, and maintained affordable rents to ensure lower-income Parisians can reside in the city. The government's social engineering efforts also extend to supporting small businesses that contribute to the city’s character. The city, as a landlord to 19% of Parisian shops, actively maintains a balance of essential shops and limits the number of chain stores. Despite these efforts, challenges persist. The waitlist for public housing in Paris is over six years long, and the city struggles to create new public housing given its dense and often landmark-protected structure. However, the government aims to increase public housing to 30% for low-income residents and 10% for middle-income residents by 2035. The article also touches on the city's struggle with market forces that make Parisian real estate unaffordable for most, with the average price for a 1,000-square-foot apartment in the city center being 1.3 million euros (about $1.41 million). The city's public housing program is seen as part of the welfare state's trade-off: affordable healthcare and education for some of the highest income tax rates and social charges in Europe.