Quartz
How France overcame NIMBYism to create affordable housing
The legislation, or “law on urban solidarity and renewal,” required most cities to dedicate 20% of their housing stock to affordable housing, and imposed penalties if they didn’t comply. The move represented a return of control over housing policy to the centralized government, after being left to regional authorities for years. France, like many other wealthy countries with expensive housing markets, has struggled to build enough affordable housing for low-income residents.