In 2022, the French Guiana Housing Observatory published a new edition of its dashboard, providing an overview of the housing situation in the region. This comprehensive document presents a series of indicators across seven major themes, ranging from the characteristics of the housing stock to unplanned urbanization. The goal is to provide housing sector stakeholders with a knowledge and working tool that enables them to better understand current trends.
The Housing Stock in French Guiana: Growth and Inequality
The dashboard shows that French Guiana had 94,768 housing units in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 3.4 % between 2013 and 2019. However, this growth is unevenly distributed across the region. The Centre Littoral Urban Community (CACL) accounts for 64 % of the housing stock and also recorded the highest annual growth rate (+4.5 %). In contrast, certain municipalities—particularly those along the rivers and in the interior, such as Saint-Elie and Maripasoula—are experiencing a decline in the number of housing units, due in part to changes in the survey of areas where illegal gold mining occurs.
Housing density also varies, with figures well below the national averages or those of the Antilles. For example, there are 238 housing units per 1,000 residents in Western French Guiana, compared with 417 in the Coastal Region.
Spontaneous Urbanization: A Cause for Concern
Spontaneous urbanization remains a major challenge in French Guiana. In 2015, of the nine municipalities covered by the study, 52 % of the total built-up area was constructed without a building permit, with an annual growth rate of approximately 6 %. The municipalities of Montsinéry-Tonnégrande (80 %) and Roura (69 %) have the highest rates of unplanned urbanization, illustrating the difficulty of regulating land use in these areas. This phenomenon particularly affects agricultural and potentially unsanitary areas, with structures often located on land owned by the government.
Public Housing: An Ongoing Challenge
In 2019, French Guiana had 18,243 social rental units, representing 22 % of the total stock of primary residences. The majority of these units are concentrated in Cayenne, where they account for 34 % of the social housing stock. The municipalities of Macouria and Kourou stand out for their high proportion of social housing, accounting for 43 % and 40 % of the total stock of primary residences, respectively.
Despite the significant presence of public housing, the vacancy rate for units vacant for more than three months remains low, at an average of 5 %. However, disparities exist, with higher rates in Macouria (10 %) and Matoury (13 %).