Facilitating access to housing for professionals in health and social care establishments

Source: 📒 Facilitating access to housing for professionals in health and social care establishments

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Number of pages: 12

1. Analytical summary

Tight HR context and housing issues

The document starts from the observation that professionals are giving up positions or leaving their establishments due to a lack of accessible housing solutions, especially young people, mobile workers, and single-parent families. In a context of a shortage of caregivers, housing becomes a strategic HR lever for attractiveness, retention, and stability of teams. The guide primarily targets public health and social care establishments, but its principles can be applied to other local public employers. It emphasises the connection between individual needs, territorial constraints (rental market, transport), and institutional leeway. The ARS Île-de-France is given as an example with a dedicated budget of 75 million euros to co-finance housing projects for caregivers as part of the Ségur.

Operational contributions for establishments

The guide proposes a structured approach in four areas: diagnosing needs, targeting priority groups, mobilising a range of housing solutions, and embedding action within a coherent HR policy. It details concrete tools: diagnostic check-list, HR/housing indicators, examples of questionnaires, partnership options with landlords, reservation rights, sub-letting, and mobilising internal assets. It provides feedback from experiences (AP-HP, CHU de Bordeaux, CH de Vienne, Cash de Nanterre, GH Fondation Vallée – Paul Guiraud) to illustrate feasibility and success conditions. A final section gathers models of agreements, leases, and resources (public agents' housing portal) to facilitate action. The whole is designed to allow an establishment to start "small" and then gradually structure a housing policy integrated into the social project and QVCT.

2. Key points of the document 

1. Housing as a strategic HR lever (p.2–3)

   The guide shows that the lack of accessible housing leads to dropouts, recruitment difficulties, and departures, particularly for young graduates, mobile workers, staff on irregular hours, and single-parent families. It emphasises the positive effects of even a modest housing policy: reduction in early dropouts, decrease in absenteeism related to precarious housing conditions, improvement in punctuality, and territorial anchoring of professionals. (p.2–3)

2. A multi-level diagnostic method (p.3–4)

   The section "Targeting real needs" proposes an approach to identify professionals in difficulty (questions in recruitment/integration interviews, feedback from supervisors, QVCT questionnaires), cross-referenced with HR data (dropouts, recruitment delays, vacancies in internal housing, home-work distances, reasons for departure). It recommends analysing territorial barriers (pressure in the rental market, level of rents, transport links, existing schemes) and provides a diagnostic checklist to structure a shared assessment. (p.3–4)

3. A panel of adaptable housing solutions (p.5–7)

   The section "Mobilising the right levers" details several families of solutions: shared housing and social residences for immediate needs, social and intermediate housing, simple partnerships with landlords, purchase of reservation rights, mobilisation of hospital land, leases with sub-letting, calls for expressions of interest at the territorial level. Each option is illustrated with concrete examples (Loc’appart jeune at AP-HP, shared housing at CH de Vienne, partnerships CDC Habitat / FHF, emphyteutic leases, AMI in Île-de-France) and accompanied by an analysis of advantages/disadvantages. (p.5–7)

4. An integrated housing strategy within the HR policy (p.8)

   The section "Building a coherent policy" proposes a progressive roadmap including: a situation assessment, designation of a pilot, inclusion in the social project, articulation with QVCT and integration pathways, and clarification of referral circuits. It emphasises communication (housing information kit, FAQ, drop-in sessions, intranet page) and monitoring (indicators, annual report, promotion to bodies and partners). (p.8)

5. Ready-to-use resources and testimony (p.9–10, 12)

   The guide presents a detailed testimony from the Cash of Nanterre on the establishment of a system combining housing acquisition, intermediary reservations, rent bonuses, and dedicated property management, supported by the ARS Île-de-France. At the end of the document, a page "To go further" lists models of agreements, leases (LLI, LAC, sub-letting), an example of a questionnaire for professionals, information on the housing portal for public agents, and a FAQ to quickly operationalise the approach. (p.9–10, 12)

3. Action points for local stakeholders 

1. Systematically integrate housing into HR processes (p.3–4, 8)

   Include a question on "housing conditions / residential project" in recruitment, integration, and exit interviews, and provide a formalised reporting circuit for difficulties (supervisors, social service, occupational health). Designate a housing referent within the HR department or management and integrate a housing action plan into the social project and QVCT. (p.3–4, 8)

2. Establish a structured housing diagnosis at the establishment level (p.3–4)

   Use the diagnostic checklist (p.4) to map needs: analyse withdrawals, recruitment delays, vacancies in internal housing, home-work distances, and reasons for leaving related to housing. Complement with a territorial analysis (rental levels, transport availability, existing schemes in the GHT or the community) to identify local leeway. (p.3–4)

3. Establish partnerships with landlords and mobilise existing schemes (p.5–7, 10)

   Start with a no-cost partnership with a social or intermediate landlord to direct agents towards dedicated housing, relying on existing agreements (e.g. FHF–CDC Habitat) or regional schemes (Ségur housing). If needs are significant, consider purchasing reservation rights, leasing non-conventional housing for sub-letting, and mobilising hospital land through emphyteutic leases, using the provided model agreements. (p.5–7, 10)

4. Use the public agents' housing portal as a central information lever (p.8, 10)

   Create a dedicated intranet page that links to the public agents' housing portal, which centralises common law aids and specific schemes for public agents, then add the schemes specific to the establishment. Distribute simple materials (booklet, FAQ, tutorials) to assist agents in using the portal and in their applications for social or intermediate housing. (p.8, 10)

5. Structure a monitoring and evaluation system for housing policy (p.4, 8–9)

   Establish some monitoring indicators: number of professionals supported, number of housing units mobilised, allocation times, profile of beneficiary agents, reasons for requests. Present an annual report in progress (CSE, committees, CME/CSMS) and to partners (ARS, local authorities, landlords) to adjust actions and document the effects on attractiveness and retention. (p.4, 8–9)

4. Additional references

🔍➕ For more information, see the articles referenced by "Pratiques en Santé" on the topic of housing ➡️🔗https://pratiquesensante.odoo.com/blog/tag/logement-62on the topic of ESSMS ➡️🔗https://pratiquesensante.odoo.com/medico-social-social-essms

5. Cross-sectional analysis — Values of Pratiques en Santé

• Literacy: The guide adopts a fairly technical administrative and HR language, but offers checklists, process diagrams, and FAQs that facilitate understanding for readers familiar with hospital issues.

• Empowerment: Beneficiaries (agents) are not closely involved in the design of the systems, but their needs are taken into account through surveys, interviews, monitoring of requests, and reasons for departure.

• Participation: The mechanisms described are mainly inter-institutional (establishments, ARS, landlords, local authorities) and do not formalise co-construction with agents or their representatives, beyond the mentioned social dialogue.

• Community health: The collective dimension appears through territorial anchoring and pooling at the level of GHT or employer alliances, but community health in the strict sense (mobilisation of communities of caregivers and residents) is underdeveloped.

• Ethics: The issues of social justice, prioritisation of in-demand professions, and recognition of 'essential' workers are present, but explicit cultural or social biases are rarely discussed.

• Human rights: The document is framed within a logic of equitable access to housing and combating economic and territorial barriers, without specifying a formal human rights framework.

• Intersectorality: The guide explicitly recommends partnerships between health establishments, ARS, social landlords, local authorities, urban planning agencies, and refers to national schemes.

• Partnership: Models of collaboration are described (reservation agreements, emphyteutic leases, shared AMIs, FHF–CDC Habitat agreements), with clarified roles between employers and landlords.

• Combating discrimination: The guide does not specifically address discrimination (gender, origin, disability, etc.), but emphasises the need to identify priority groups and avoid uniform responses.

6. Assessment of the reliability of the resource

• Scientific relevance

  The guide is primarily based on an expert approach, feedback from establishments (AP-HP, CHU de Bordeaux, Cash de Nanterre, etc.) and alignment with recent regulatory and financial frameworks (Ségur, reservation rights, social/intermediate housing). The information is consistent with the official communications from ARS Île-de-France and the public agents' housing portal, published between 2024 and 2026. The sources are up-to-date and the methodological dimension (diagnosis, indicators, model agreements) is explicit, which provides good robustness for practice.

• Operational relevance

  The resource is strongly action-oriented: diagnostic check-list, numerical examples, description of options with advantages/disadvantages, detailed testimonials, lease and agreement templates, online resources. It allows an establishment to start a housing policy at a lower cost and to strengthen it through partnerships and funding, in line with national and regional schemes. The transferability outside Île-de-France is high, provided that it is adapted to local contexts (housing market, partners, financial capacities).

7. MCQ – 5 questions

Part 1 — Questions (without answers)

Question 1 (p.2–3)

According to the guide, what is the main effect of even a modest housing policy in a healthcare establishment?

a) It automatically increases the salaries of staff

b) It reduces recruitment needs by eliminating positions

c) It facilitates onboarding, secures job placements, and limits early departures

d) It replaces national housing assistance schemes

Question 2 (p.3–4)

Among the proposed indicators, which one helps to identify internal tensions related to housing?

a) The number of emergency consultations

b) The number of withdrawals from hiring or delayed recruitments

c) The vaccination rate of staff

d) The number of annual leave taken in summer

Question 3 (p.5–6)

What does the "right of reservation" refer to in the guide?

a) The possibility for a staff member to refuse housing without reason

b) The obligation for a landlord to accommodate all healthcare workers in an establishment

c) The purchase by a public employer of rights to social or intermediate housing for its agents

d) A system of complete rent exemption for professionals

Question 4 (p.5, 7)

What system allows for the rental of non-conventional housing and then subletting to agents?

a) Co-housing among agents

b) The emphyteutic lease

c) The subletting of non-conventional housing (LLI, LAC)

d) The sale in future state of completion

Question 5 (p.8–9, 10)

What role does the ARS Île-de-France play in housing projects for healthcare workers, according to the guide and associated resources?

a) It directly allocates housing to agents

b) It co-finances projects, supports and accompanies establishments, particularly through calls for projects or AMI

c) It sets rents in the private sector for healthcare workers

d) It manages the entire stock of hospital social housing

Part 2 — Commented correction

Question 1

✅ Correct answer: c) It facilitates welcome, secures job placements and limits early departures.

📝 Explanation: The guide specifies that a housing policy, even if limited (reservation of a few housing units, personalised support), has visible effects on the welcome of agents, the security of job placements, the reduction of departures and absenteeism. Source: p.2–3.

Question 2

✅ Correct answer: b) The number of withdrawals at hiring or delayed recruitments.

📝 Explanation: Among the indicators that can be used to analyse housing needs, the guide explicitly mentions the number of withdrawals from hiring or delayed recruitments, as well as other HR indicators (commute distance, housing vacancies, etc.). Source: p.3–4.

Question 3

✅ Correct answer: c) The purchase by a public employer of rights to social or intermediate housing for its agents.

📝 Explanation: The "reservation right" allows an establishment to reserve housing in the social or intermediate sector for a fee, with the possibility of reallocation in perpetuity, even if the functional clause is limited. Source: p.5–6.

Question 4

✅ Correct answer: c) The sub-letting of non-conventional housing (LLI, LAC).

📝 Explanation: Option 3 mentioned in the guide involves leasing intermediate or free rental housing to sub-let to agents, with advantages (flexibility, functional clause) and risks (defaults, vacancies, end of lease). Source: p.7.

Question 5

✅ Correct answer: b) It co-finances projects, facilitates and supports establishments, particularly through calls for projects or AMI.

📝 Explanation: The guide and ARS resources show that ARS Île-de-France mobilises a Ségur fund dedicated to housing for healthcare workers, co-finances projects up to 50%, facilitates AMIs with landlords, and supports project selection. Source: p.7–9, ARS Île-de-France (2025–2026).

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who is the target audience for this ANAP guide? (p.2, 10, 12)

   The guide primarily targets public health and social care establishments (management, HR departments, executives, social services) that wish to take action on the housing of their staff to improve attractiveness and retention.

2. How to start a housing policy when resources are limited? (p.3–5, 8)

   The guide recommends starting with a simple diagnosis, appointing a housing referent, establishing a no-cost partnership with a landlord, and minimal communication with staff, gradually expanding actions according to needs and opportunities.

3. Which types of professionals are most affected by housing difficulties? (p.3–4, 9)

   Recent graduates, mobile staff, shift workers, and single-parent families are identified as particularly vulnerable, especially in areas where the rental market is tight and transport options are inadequate.

4. What solutions are suitable for temporary housing needs? (p.5, 7, 9)

   Shared accommodations, social housing, youth worker hostels, and schemes like Loc’appart jeune are cited as quick and flexible responses to secure the initial months of settling in for young professionals or mobile staff.

5. How can an establishment cooperate with social landlords? (p.5–7, 10)

   An establishment can form no-cost partnerships, purchase reservation rights, lease intermediate housing to sublet to staff, or mobilise its land through emphyteutic leases, relying on the proposed convention models.

6. What is the benefit of the public agents' housing portal for establishments? (p.8, 10)

   The portal centralises information on assistance and offers for public agents, highlights the measures put in place by the establishment, and serves as an information support for candidates and current agents.

7. How to monitor the effectiveness of a housing policy? (p.4, 8–9)

   The guide suggests monitoring simple indicators (number of requests, housing mobilised, allocation times, profiles of beneficiaries) and presenting an annual report to the bodies and partners, to adjust the measures and document the impact on attractiveness and retention.

9. Rewriting in Easy-to-Read Language 

Title

Facilitating access to housing for healthcare workers

Context and issues (Easy-to-Read Language)

Many healthcare workers struggle to find housing near their workplace. Rents are high and transport is not always suitable. Some refuse a position or leave quickly due to housing issues. This creates problems for recruiting and retaining teams.

Contributions of the guide (Easy-to-Read Language)

This guide provides simple ideas to help agents find housing. It explains how to assess housing needs. It describes several possible solutions with their advantages and limitations. It offers concrete examples of hospitals that have implemented actions. It also provides ready-to-use document templates.

Key points (Easy-to-Read Language)

1. Housing is an important HR issue

   Housing helps attract and retain healthcare workers. Without suitable housing, agents refuse positions or leave quickly. Having a housing policy, even a small one, improves team stability.

2. Conduct a needs assessment

   The establishment must ask questions about housing during interviews. It must look at withdrawals and departures related to housing. It must also analyse the rents in the area and transport.

3. Propose several types of solutions

   For urgent needs, shared accommodations or social housing can be proposed. For the long term, social or intermediate housing can be reserved. Housing can also be rented to sublet to agents.

4. Build a housing policy

   The establishment must choose a housing officer. It must write a simple action plan with a few priorities. It must clearly inform agents of possible assistance.

5. Monitor and improve actions

   The establishment must count the number of agents assisted in finding housing. It must track the timelines for obtaining housing. It should discuss this annually with teams and partners to improve actions.