À la veille de la rentrée scolaire, 387 enfants dorment encore à la rue dans la métropole de Lyon

The article, published by Lyon Capitale and authored by journalist Clémence Margall, examines the alarming situation of child homelessness in the Lyon metropolitan area on the eve of the new school year. According to the collective Jamais Sans Toit, 387 children—including 26 infants—were still living on the streets as of 4 July 2026, representing a three‑and‑half‑fold increase over the past four years. The piece situates this crisis within broader seasonal patterns, noting that many families remain in makeshift shelters such as occupied schools and vacant buildings throughout the summer.

Families are occupying various sites, notably the park Blandan school (7th arrondissement) which houses around 100 people, including 60 children, and several occupied schools across Lyon, Villeurbanne, Vaulx‑en‑Velin and Vénissieux. While some temporary measures—like air‑conditioning at Blandan—have improved conditions, the overall environment remains precarious, with families lacking stable accommodation, basic utilities and certainty about future housing.

The collective reports spending €103 000 on emergency measures this year, roughly three times the amount allocated four years earlier. This increase reflects both the growing number of families in need and the longer duration of occupations, which now often span multiple school years rather than ending after summer.

• 387 children on the street (26 infants) – 4 July 2026 count.
• 281 people, including 80 children (five under three), currently living in the Place de Milan building.
• Over the past four years, the number of children experiencing homelessness has risen by 250 %.
• In the 2025‑2026 school year, only 97 children accessed official emergency housing, down from 179 four years earlier, indicating a halving of formal placements.

The collective continues advocacy work, engaging with municipal authorities to secure hotel nights for families and negotiating with the Lyon and Villeurbanne city councils. A meeting with the new Métropole de Lyon executive is planned for September, while dialogue with the national Prefect remains pending. The article stresses the need for urgent state‑level action, calling for at least 10 000 additional emergency housing places nationwide and a revised finance law to fund them.

Stakeholders suggest several measures: repurposing municipal heritage sites, possible requisitions, and legal actions such as the Lyon city’s claim for reimbursement of funds spent on family shelters. The collective warns that without sustained public investment and coordinated policy, the situation will deteriorate further as 2027 approaches.

The piece contrasts the current prolonged occupations with the 2021‑2022 school year, when average occupation lasted three weeks. Today, families often remain in the same occupied sites for multiple years, highlighting a shift from temporary to semi‑permanent homelessness for children in the region.

The crisis underscores the intersection of social welfare and sustainable urban housing. The lack of affordable, long‑term accommodation forces vulnerable families into unsafe, ad‑hoc settlements, increasing pressure on public services and urban infrastructure. Addressing child homelessness through durable, eco‑friendly housing solutions would contribute to broader sustainability goals, reduce social exclusion, and improve health and educational outcomes for affected children.