From 2025, private security agents will patrol the buildings of Sète Thau Habitat on the Île de Thau

Vanessa Lebel, François Commeinhes et Steve Lefebvre se sont engagés pour un an. MIDI LIBRE – PHILIPPE MALRIC

Sète Thau Habitat, qui gère le parc social, lance une expérimentation d’une année avec le Groupement de sûreté résidentielle inter-bailleurs.

This was debated in our columns and at the last municipal council of Sète (read elsewhere). But it is now a done deal. This Wednesday, December 12, Vanessa Lebel, the director of Sète Thau Habitat and François Commeinhes, the president of the structure sealed their agreement with Steve Lefebvre so that his social housing park on the Île de Thau would be the subject of an experiment with the GSRI.

Responsible for enforcing the regulations in buildings

GSRI quès aco ? This is the acronym for Inter-Landlord Residential Security Group. “Private security agents, but not only, commented Steve Lefebvre, the general manager. I would say rather that we are residential tranquility agents. We are very much in the “going towards” the residents”. These patrollers, who have undergone demanding training and have been validated by the national police, are in fact responsible for enforcing the regulations in the buildings managed by Sète Thau Habitat.

16 personnel each time

The sixteen sworn personnel involved each time (with two guard dogs) are therefore intended to clear out squats in the halls, corridors and garages while talking to the residents and carrying out technical monitoring of the building (mailboxes, fire safety, water and gas, checking technical ducts). “If we find drugs, we immediately report it to the police, says Steve Lefebvre. And if there is a problem with the building, we notify the lessor and/or the on-call service.”

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One day a week between the end of the day and night

These missions will take place one day a week – never the same day – from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. “Between the time when the landlords' staff leave and until the time when the regroupings take place in the buildings” , explains the boss of GSRI. “We have 85% satisfaction from residents , explained Alexandre Braun, general director of ACM, the social housing organization in Montpellier that has called on GSRI for a year. They are great security professionals.”

A kind of concierge improved

“Our action was not enough to alleviate the distress of our residents, we decided to launch other additional more innovative actions, explained Vanessa Lebel, the director of Sète Thau Habitat (STH). We are therefore experimenting with this intervention for a year.” The budget is €468,000, supported by the City and the organization (€268,000). At the end of the second half of the year, the residents concerned will be subject to a satisfaction survey. For the time being, on the Isle of Thau, six residences, or 752 housing units (i.e. the STH social housing stock), will benefit from visits by the GSRI brigade. “A sort of improved concierge service that will bring proximity to its actions”, commented Robert Saby, the commissioner of Sète.

“It's totally immoral, almost dishonest”

This partnership, mentioned during of the municipal council of Sète on Monday, December 16, particularly angered Véronique Calueba. The opposition elected official, and vice-president of the Department, considered that this measure was “discriminatory for the inhabitants of the Île de Thau between those living in the Sète Thau Habitat park and those of Hérault Logement. How are you going to explain this to the inhabitants ? It is totally immoral, bordering on dishonest”. To which the mayor replied that he had proposed it to Hérault Logement and that he had not received a positive response.

“When one more actor intervenes with the same goal as you, it can only be beneficial”, stressed Eric Periguey, the head of the municipal police. With the risk, perhaps, that the groups will move to buildings outside the GSRI's scope of action. “We proposed it to other landlords but they didn't want to, declared François Commeinhes. But they can join us”.

According to our information, it is on January 15 that the brigade with bulletproof vests, tear gas canisters and telescopic batons will make its first round.

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