Semsamar wished to react to comments made against it by the President of the Republic, regarding its mode of operation and its activities. 

The president was moved by the state of the dwellings he saw and considers that it is therefore necessary "to speed up the works and meet the needs of the population".

Spread over 19 residences located throughout the territory of Saint-Martin, the SEMSAMAR social housing stock was one of those that best withstood Hurricane Irma.

As of August 31, 2018, SEMSAMAR has already signed 675 public contracts for a total amount of 32,4 million euros as part of its improved rehabilitation operations. These contracts were regularly awarded through tendering committees in which elected officials from the Collectivité of Saint-Martin participate.

The improved rehabilitation, decided by SEMSAMAR, not only provides for the complete renewal of degraded and destroyed components, but also to improve and upgrade all the components affected (and not only degraded). The additional cost of the improved rehabilitation is € 12,1 million.

The rehabilitation initiated by SEMSAMAR is continuing at a normal pace for an operation of this scope, but it could have been accelerated without the following obstacles:

- Presidential promise not kept: works could not start until June 2018, largely because of the cumbersome tendering procedures, despite the promises of the President of the Republic, to deal with the urgent situation of some tenants and preparing for the hurricane season.

- Insufficient State mobilization: despite several presentations of the technical and financial files of the work to be carried out, alerts given on the conditions for carrying out this rehabilitation, financing proposals made (emergency housing fund, tax exemption), SEMSAMAR is still awaiting a concrete mobilization of state services.

- Insufficient staff, in number, but also in qualification, particularly in terms of supervision. The accommodation of staff coming from outside is difficult.

- Insufficient supply of materials. The need is enormous and suppliers have difficulty meeting demand in quantity and on time, including from Guadeloupe.

- Difficulty of supply. Transport by sea reaches its limit in terms of quantity as well as in terms of unloading and transport capacity. SEMSAMAR is in contact with the Port Establishment of Saint-Martin to set up areas for improvement.

- Care and maintenance of equipment. The materials are in great demand and their availability becomes problematic.

The President asked all the donors to carry out the work by December 31, which is in line with the planning for phase 1 of the work organized by SEMSAMAR, which concerns the roofs and exterior joinery of the housing.

It should be noted that this rehabilitation depends on many constraints, external to the sole will of SEMSAMAR. Indeed, the work is taking place on an occupied site.

Payment of rents

With regard to the rents received by SEMSAMAR, the President's advisers could have reminded him that the law states that as long as a tenant has not terminated his lease, he is required to pay his rent to his lessor; and that no easing was planned on this point to settle the situation of Saint-Martin. From then on, SEMSAMAR took steps.

In September 2017, SEMSAMAR took charge, on its own behalf, of the rents of its tenants in Saint-Martin. No tenant has paid rent. From October 2017, this payment of rents has been adapted according to the degree of uninhabitability of the accommodation. Indeed, aware of the difficulties encountered by some tenants, SEMSAMAR carried out a personalized analysis of the difficulties encountered by tenants. A support system has been set up for them during this particularly difficult period. This support goes up to 40% of rent reduction depending on the situation.

In Saint-Martin, as elsewhere in France, social rents are regulated by the State. The remainder to be paid by the tenant depends on his income and the housing assistance granted to him. As such, SEMSAMAR applies the texts like any social landlord in France and, like its fellow social landlords in France, is subjected to criticism from President Emmanuel Macron towards the management of social housing.

Threat of privatization of social housing in overseas France?

Since the end of 2017, social landlords have been in the sights of the government, which has reduced housing assistance. The donors of the Antilles-Guyana had, until then, seemed to escape this charge against the social landlords. It would thus seem that SEMSAMAR is the first lessor of the Antilles-Guyana to suffer in turn the disenchantment of the President of the Republic. However, the SEMSAMAR ignores the true intention of the company of denigration of the services of the State; unless this is part of their strategy of privatization, in the long term, of social housing which would aim to extend to the Overseas Territories.

For a confident partnership with state services

However, the State services cannot ignore the fact that SEMSAMAR first assumed, without State aid, the immediate emergency phase in September 2017.

Indeed, after the passage of hurricane Irma, SEMSAMAR left its role of social donor to temporarily transform itself into an NGO. It organized an air and sea bridge to bring aid to the population, and in particular its tenants and those of the island's other donors. SEMSAMAR then managed, without state funding, the phase of securing its housing to shelter families while awaiting final work.

In addition, in order to actively involve young Saint-Martinois in the reconstruction of their island, SEMSAMAR has included a social inclusion clause in the contracts related to the rehabilitation of its park. As such, 54 hours (Value: 500 million euros) were reserved for work in integration. This represents a potential of 1,3 future jobs to be recruited. 

As a reminder, the vocation of SEMSAMAR is:

• To intervene in missions of general interest (in particular social housing), economic development and planning.

• To be an operational tool, a force for proposal and action at the service of local communities in the Antilles-Guyana.

SEMSAMAR, having understood that the President has not been sufficiently informed of the reality of the reconstruction for which he is responsible in Saint-Martin, is open to a discussion with the President of the Republic in order to undertake a confident partnership with his services.

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