Surveillance and Control in Community Housing

France’s last foyers – housing for immigrant workers – are set for demolition. But some current residents are worried about what they’ll lose.

Hundreds of “foyers” - housing units especially for immigrant workers – were built after World War II. The economy was booming and France needed unskilled labour to help rebuild the country. But since the 1990s there has been a policy to get rid of the old foyers and replace them with a type of social housing. However, residents of the old foyers fear they are going to lose out in this transformation. Carolyn Lamboley has been visiting some foyers around Paris and speaking to those who for decades have called these places home. They fear for the break-up of their communities, for a loss of their culture and the little they have.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.