Inside Paris' Illegal Squats

Faced with soaring real estate prices and an increasingly desperate housing crisis in Paris, a squatting collective has been formed to find spaces of residence in buildings that have remained unoccupied for years.
We followed them as they searched for a new place, occupied it, and used their knowledge of French law to negotiate with the owner and the city's local administration.
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[@ShortbreadDrawings]

This place is really near where I live. Just passed by it today because I was curious and it looks great from the outside! It's now painted pink, it's well maintained and looks "lived in" from what I saw through the windows

[@rachelpadilla4008]

Where is it? I’d like to have a look as well!

[@ShortbreadDrawings]

@@rachelpadilla4008 18eme arrondissement, Rue Germain Pilon!

[@JMGEntertainmentify]

Hello Shortbread. I visited your channel randomly. I find your artistic skills very pleasing. I am interested in purchasing your breaking bad artwork if not already sold. Otherwise could you do a special request?

[@alandoesexist]

Can we get video? Please!!!

[@JMGEntertainmentify]

@@ShortbreadDrawings Do you not have laying around? such a shame.

[@Hotlooksamerica]

They had a whole ass team planning this operation out like oceans eleven but for homelessness.

[@Stowneyo]

No joke. These people weren’t homeless or poor. Or about to be. They wanted to make a statement which helps with bringing light to the situation. But does very little for the people who actually need it.

[@schwarzer9523]

Someone may also shoot at you

[@mrsle7ensdiaryofmadness941]

😂😂😂😂my thought exactly

[@mkn.567]

Oceanless 11

[@zadekeys2194]

If those people put that level of effort into their education & skills for 10years (he said he had been doing this for 10years) they would defiantly not be in this situation. Being born in a city gives you zero rights to live there once you are too old to live with your parents.

[@katyamete]

This was mad interesting. If they're up for it, Vice should make this a series. It would be cool to see their progression.

[@Pandovesky]

I mean it is classified as season 1, episode 1 under the video, so maybe...

[@TheDoomWizard]

Agreed

[@mattmiller6706]

Don’t hear many people use the slang “mad” ... you from fall River massachusetts 😂?

[@mattmiller6706]

High on the list of my slang vocab lol

[@wrarmatei]

"Progression" suggests that the seriousness of the situation isn't being appreciated, like these squats are temporary...it's affordable housing crisis treadmill...not a cute diy project that is opted-into for kicks.

[@kingkea3451]

One thing that stood out to me here is that these guys are working to make the building they stay in presentable. They fix things. They clean things. They repair holes in the walls, floors and ceilings. They make furniture (like the tables they used, the new window fixtures and the bench by the streetside). They're productive with what they have.

[@jazzfeline5970]

I think that's their key to appeasing the owner of the building. They get a free place to stay, and the owner gets free renovations on what is likely a very old and expensive building to repair.

[@20yearsago88]

Placing posters over holes is not repairing them 😁😁😁

[@kingkea3451]

@@20yearsago88 Yeah, it's not repairing them but it's at least making the place more presentable. And besides, they were repairing a whole bunch of other holes and such

[@zadekeys2194]

They should use those skills to afford rent in their own place... The main dude has been squatting for 10years... He complains he is poor / paid little, but I can't take someone seriously who thinks that because they were randomly born somewhere, that they are entitled to stay there.... Dilutions at best. They need to wake up & get somewhere in life before they're too old & homeless with low pay & probably no savings or pensions.

[@kingkea3451]

@@zadekeys2194 Paris is the most expensive city to live in. With 15% of the residences empty its *clearly* because people can't afford the outrageous rent prices. Even if they turned their ingenuity into a means to make money it would not be enough to be able to rent in Paris. Here in NZ we are starting to head down the same route. Just recently it came out that there have been places in Wellington with no heating, missing windows (or rooms without windows) and such that are being rented for triple the cost per person compared to an actual decent rental in Christchurch. High rent problems are a thing. This isn't a matter of laziness.

[@mrnickwan510]

I once stayed with a friend who lived in a squat in Amsterdam. It was an old factory that had been empty for years. They fixed it up, refused to allow anyone on hard drugs to stay there and even had the support of the mayor. They also had an art collective and would hold free workshops for the local community. Not all squaters are bad people, some are just at difficult times in their lives. They didn't have a toilet though so that was pretty rough.

[@q9c9pilrandagio5]

ADM? Villa frikens? TramStop?

[@CEFE-x1u]

@@q9c9pilrandagio5old ADM most likely, the factories down by NDSM were abandoned for a long time

[@johnnyjoestar7143]

The leader guy is so charismatic, the type of guy who would make anyone feel at ease and always seems like he knows what he's doing

[@glcmranger421]

Johnny Joe, the key word is “seems.”

[@Sanjovalentine]

@ghost robles or... like a regular leader. Why are people so quick to scream ‘cult’ at every person with a bit of charisma

[@EikottXD]

@ghost robles don't ever apologize for a joke.

[@sunnyschramm9650]

@ghost robles dont excuse for some lame critic

[@sunnyschramm9650]

@ghost robles the emoji make him feeling that you laugh about him with cynicism - what was totally fine here.

[@bossingtonhillforever4267]

There's people living on the streets, and there are empty houses. So we open the door. Beautifully said.

[@trentonarganbright1871]

Shut up

[@moshymosh]

These people really made that building look nice in a short ass time.

[@GeorgeKizzle93]

Aye man, you get 20 people with a common goal and a decent work ethic, you'll be surprised with what's possible.

[@chaoticfirearm]

Yeah and it was literally rotting away doing fucking nothing lmao. So fucked that these guys get persecuted for just not wanting to sleep on concrete.

[@karencarpenter5845]

@@chaoticfirearm we are all fighting corruption, greed,the 1% owning everything, selling land to the highest bidder, which has created unstable living environments for us all.

[@AbsoluteTiger]

This should be human law buildings left to disrepair and neglected should be able to be claimed by free humans

[@JackYoung28]

@@chaoticfirearm they’re being persecuted because they’re breaking the law. But understandably so. On another hand say someone happens to die in one of these abandoned properties because they fell through the floor or something along the line of that. The owner would be liable, and that’s simply just not fair to the land owner. So I can see both sides, I think it’s awful they can’t afford to live in their own cities because the cost is so great, but I can also see why they get persecuted for what they do.

[@TheModernInvestor]

This had SUCH a nice ending, I wish more stuff like this happened

[@weldinggirl]

I know right!!!!

[@Glue.Ur.Eyelids]

I see you @TheModernInvestor!

[@theoriginalpeace]

It definitely helped that vice was there filming, the landlords probably asked who they are and researched them and where like hmmm better not look like complete dixks. If so well done vice 👍

[@FinUgShiet]

In that case, you should organize such activities at your local community! If such operations have been in every big city in the 5M population of Finland, so should in every country, that has such issues with property ownership, homelessness, community spaces etc.

[@MrNickpress]

Automatically skips to end

[@verysmartultrahuman939]

1:44 "I'm not going to be thrown out of here just over a question of property ownership" -French resistance 1943 colorized

[@johnnyrockets10]

haha and for full context the 93rd is like 10mins north from there...so thrown out of Paris is a bit dramatic...

[@chinitaensudamerica]

Me, as a person from Hong Kong: you guys have empty flats to squat?

[@chrisb1902]

All over europe mate, from the nort to the south.

[@de0509]

Check out the reddit sub r/DumpsterDiving too. Its not just empty buildings with people sleeping in the streets. Apparently in the west, theres also food in the trash, with hungry poor people in the streets. Such a calloused world.

[@chinitaensudamerica]

@@de0509thank you, yes I'm aware of that. My comment was a reference to a meme...and also the fact that Hong Kong has super expensive rent and I'm drooling over this as any empty space is a luxury that we don't have in HK...some people continue living with their parents in small flats

[@n0rmal953]

@@chinitaensudamerica well it’s slowly turning into a Hong Kong situation. People with money buy moderate sized appartements and split them into as many flats as possible to make more rent money. Paris is not that big and the building not that high in the majority of the city. People are getting crammed into 9m2 flats while empty abandonned building exists at the same time. Big penthouse size flats are bought by rich people for a once of vacation while still not getting rented.

[@JR-xn6yu]

Lol your face is so round like a soccer ball

[@shockcityrocker]

That would’ve ended so completely different here in NYC; a building owner would never even fathom the thought of working something out; they’re barely hospitable towards lease holding tenants. And most would rather have a building sit unoccupied with no rent coming in for years than to simply lessen the rent to reasonable levels.

[@st2udent_650]

The economics and reality of New York City housing makes me want to scream and cry. The absolute hostility towards people who work minimum and attempt to live there is astounding.

[@FirelixGaming]

In France owners do it ONLY because the law oblige them too, you cant expulse someone from a house if theyve been there for more than a certain amount of time (thats why they all get theirs story straight saying its been a week when in reality its only been 1 days)

[@trentonarganbright1871]

The women should trade sexual favors to live there

[@scooterholmes1174]

Let’s talk about why living costs are unbearable in Paris in the first place!

[@q9c9pilrandagio5]

capitalism?

[@alexandredelbois4157]

@@q9c9pilrandagio5 no because in Paris there are those that we French call bobos, they are rich with a lucrative job and they do not want to mix with others

[@o00gourou00o]

At 1:46 he doesn't really say "just over a question of property ownership", he says "just because some people do real estate speculation" Imo that's a big part of the problem

[@indramami9080]

Glad it worked out between these guys and the owner of the building. They weren’t looking for trouble, they were looking for stability.

[@glcmranger421]

Exactly how did the squatters’ actions stabilize the owner? Why do you assume the building’s owner was looking for stability?

[@ricardobarrios4159]

@@glcmranger421 The building looks much better.

[@indramami9080]

@@glcmranger421 why do u assume I was talking about the owner needing stability ??! He’s not the one that’s homeless! Duhhh. 🤦🏻‍♀️I’m sure the owner was able to see that they weren’t lookin to trash or party in the building instead they wanted to do repairs & make it a livable, safe space so I’m glad all parties involved were able to come to an agreement, as we saw towards the end, that was beneficial to all involved. I’m sure some type of rent fee was included in the contract the owner had them sign.

[@glcmranger421]

@@ricardobarrios4159 I bet it smells better, too. 💩

[@glcmranger421]

@@indramami9080, Ask a question. Get more assumptions. Thanks, mami. 👍🏽

[@tommanserable]

If you want to break into a building and get away with it ALWAYS wear hi viz jackets and make it look like you're a work party. No one will ever stop you.

[@EP-qi8ed]

I know. I thought it would have been smart for them to front as a hired renovation crew with actual uniforms ; )

[@satriorukito]

but it gonna caused another problem

[@Moco336]

yeah yeah nah yeah mat, always got the fackin high viz, every fackin day mate cash in hand

[@R0S3inC0NCR33T]

i like the idea of the landlord coming in and seeing a big dslr pointed in his face and the guys are just like "yeah, say hi to Vice"

[@odakyuodakyu6650]

Oi Polloi?

[@tedcrilly46]

Hello Vice, get your thieving buddies out of my property please.

[@satriorukito]

@@tedcrilly46 ahahaha

[@lalakuma9]

Seriously, if anyone is neglectful enough to abandon a building and let it degrade to such a state, they should just let someone else who needs and respects the property live in it. What kind of psycho would not let another person make a good use of their trash? I'm glad that in this case the owner of this building is reasonable.

[@InkDropFalls]

Crack Heads and Smack Heads ....Never been to squat in my life that dont have them .....Dont underestimate the amount drugs that taken and sold by squatters ...in fact i dont think ever met a squatter who not either taking and selling drugs ....i knew a lot them

[@blackcat-mp7kh]

not everyone is well mannered in someone else's property. these people are really good.

[@Jwilliams813]

Just based off the title I thought this was going to be about an illegal gym

[@paulangelopineda2534]

when you do squats you mus maintain a certain form or the paris special action squad will be all up in your ass lol

[@TheJohnChocolate]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@lbee8710]

Like the dude in N.Ireland who keeps getting arrested for opening his gym during Covid lol

[@SP-ft4ir]

The form police arrests half squatter

[@YusuphYT]

Same, looked like a prison doing squats 😭

[@marissa8061]

These guys are so mindful when it comes to squatting, very smart people here

[@imazombieee8949]

Yeah when they shut up and kept the lights on i figured they were genius too. Lmao along side w not finding a job. Another example of how smart they are.

[@HairEEck]

The vast majority of squatters are like that. They're just rarely showed in a good light by the medias.

[@HairEEck]

@@imazombieee8949 it's very hard to find a job in France compared to other countries. They are litteraly saving lives and creating beautiful community centers for everyone. The reason they shut up is not to not alert anyone it's to not be kicked out for making too much noise. Big difference. So stop talking out of your ass when you don't know anything about this subject.

[@avaprod.8622]

@@HairEEck what kind of job is hard to find ?

[@enegron6987]

@@avaprod.8622 pick one

[@Wuqz]

Squatters can be awful people but these guys are wonderful. They're occupying land that hasn't be touched in years and instead of ruining the place they're actually fixing it up. It's clear they still respect that it is someone's property, even though it's been unused for quite some time.

[@ellebelle2507]

I lived near a squat in Barcelona and it was lovely. They had Latin American dancing once a week, like a club night, so good! And a bar with antiques out the back.

[@Alaskan-Armadillo]

If Spaniards can squat in the America's clearly those of us from 'Latin America' can squat in Spain.

[@Kat-zi2tb]

@@Alaskan-Armadillo then good luck paying $1000 for a flight

[@xtnabcn]

Which one? I had a couple in mi barrio!

[@veneering4128]

@@Alaskan-Armadillo 1000% agree

[@Megadeth6633]

having lived in paris and being friends with some squatters from there, I call BS on most squatters. it's true that in Paris it's hard to get housing, but a lot of these people are plain and simple middle class hipsters who just like occupying houses, descending the catacombs, and trespassing in general for the kicks. If they REALLY wanted to live somewhere in a stable manner, chances are they would probably get it. You don't even have to live inside Paris with the amazing public transport they have. After all, France has many social policies that will help you out. You CAN become stable in france if you actually want it.- Squatters in paris live more of a lifestyle, most aren't forced into it as they might make you believe.

[@delilah3556]

True, but the housing market has reached breaking point here. It needs to stop.

[@paulcamus8944]

Parisian here. You're 100% spot on.

[@joebudd7572]

Hands down the most reasonable squatters I've ever seen. The ones down my road insist on playing gabba 24/7 and dgaf :(

[@si_quest]

they're behaving in front of the cameras

[@danielfulford6135]

@@Kigoz4Life Hate to break it to ya bud but that keyboard warrior life doesn’t translate to reality like you think it does

[@PresidentialWinner]

@@si_quest If they are behaving for the camera (likely) that doesn't necessarily mean they don't behave when the cameras are gone. But who knows. Regardless this group is the most benevolent I've ever seen. I seriously dislike squatters so that's something.

[@neoxyte]

Yeah. I like that they only go into abandoned buildings. So many squatters threaten normal mom and pop landlords who are just trying to make their mortgage.

[@felipedaiber2991]

@@neoxyte if they had no one renting it I asume the ladlords arent loosing money when the already abandoned building gets ocupied by squaters

[@Sandman_117]

A couple months of free rent for them to remodel the whole building seems like a fair trade IMO

[@PHlophe]

Boni, Chico. they are just preventing the weather from getting in. not exactly remodeling it .

[@jameslong2618]

Yeah posters over large holes is an upgrade

[@jacklinks6097]

If I had an unoccupied building I would let them stay as long as they didn’t trash it and improved on it. I would let them stay there permanently if they could cover the taxes.

[@pureprotein9597]

@@jameslong2618 not really

[@chlxbear]

@@pureprotein9597 they were being sarcastic-

[@mikebeatstsb7030]

Ide like for you guys at vice to try and stick with this group and see how well they get on in future.. Kinda like a regular thing perhaps monthly / bi monthly..?

[@technicfitness]

It says season 1 episode 1 under the title so it looks like it is a series

[@Tom78777]

Don't fall for it. That's how they do it in front of the camera

[@davomccranko]

Fully support this guys on their mission. They're finding and rescued uninhabited and unloved spaces and allowing awesome people to live in the city. They were born there. Paris is their home.

[@IndelibleHD]

The Vice that I subscribed for 👍❤️

[@PHlophe]

shush !

[@PaladinFury]

It's amazing how they can go from complete garbage nonsense (like that one guy getting his butthole bleached..) straight back to actually interesting documentaries like this one that make people THINK about stuff, not just "heh that's funny".

[@glcmranger421]

Vice philosophy: If a camera lense can see it, it’s news. 😳

[@OhFuck420]

If you wanna watch black market videos check me out.

[@wan8655]

Shut up man

[@jordcarter2359]

I've alot of respect for these guys. They are being respectful, they have a genuine reason behind their actions and they seem to be making a positive impact on the properties they squat. ❤

[@Jeremycook_]

Lived in forclosed houses for a few years in California mid 2000's and its stressful af

[@williebeamish5879]

Would you do it again and what was the closest call / avoidance methods you had?

[@unknown-hb2to]

@@williebeamish5879 definitely. Closest thing to a real home

[@ceezvelasquez932]

Get w job

[@Jeremycook_]

@@williebeamish5879 no way and I would just go in after dark. Got chased out by realtors and cops many times, arrested twice. Like I said stressful af don't recommend.

[@Jeremycook_]

@@ceezvelasquez932 Good advice wish I thought of that when I was too busy getting high. You should be a life coach with all your wisdom and knowledge of life

[@lucasulich4149]

makes sense: empty buildings, people on the streets. what are they gonna do, stare at eachother?

[@LynxenX]

"In 2020 Paris became the most expensive city in the world to live. 15% of its properties remain unoccupied." Paris, Toronto, Vancouver, London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, the list goes on. This is what happens when housing is allowed to be a commodity instead of a human right. Unreal prices, high levels of vacancy and payment delinquency, market bubbles so large that popping them wont fix the problem. Housing should be strictly regulated by governments and there should be no profit involved with housing people. Rent and mortgage payments should be interest-free and not indexed to inflation or min. wage in any way, as well as individually proportional to no more than 20% of a single persons net annual income.

[@XxSapphiregurlxX]

Exactly, we need to put a cap on the number of houses a person can own. We also need to start paying people real wages that can allow them to rent/buy a property rather than being homeless.

[@justanordinaryaccount9910]

@@XxSapphiregurlxX what next putting a cap on the number of toothbrushes one can own?

[@XxSapphiregurlxX]

@@justanordinaryaccount9910 I guess it must be nice for you to equate land which is a scarce and finite resource to toothbrushes.

[@justanordinaryaccount9910]

@@XxSapphiregurlxX toothbrushes are also a finite resource, as is basically everything, and breaking into someone's house and staying inside for months is arguably worse invasion of privacy than using someone's toothbrush.

[@davidnyc487]

You think that’s bad, in New York, London and Sidney Australia Water is going to be a commodity.

[@kimly6403]

They represent the true meaning of community. I wish them well and hopefully the owner is willing to extend their stay until someone is interested in renting out or buying the building. Vous envoyer tant d'amour de Californie ❤️

[@Lucky14970]

Guy in charge tells the crew that its of the utmost importance that they are quiet; next scene is a guy playing his electric keyboard.

[@sirapos6550]

Ha ha ha

[@Pilot-Ali]

People living on streets and buildings are empty. The irony runs through my mind.

[@OhFuck420]

If you wanna watch black market videos check me out.

[@DUKEisALIVE]

Look if the building werent empty the people on the streets still wouldnt live there

[@chaoticfirearm]

That's capitalism for you.

[@Pilot-Ali]

@@chaoticfirearmYes indeed, that is the dark side of capitalism.

[@flakgun153]

If tenants rights are too high, it makes more sense for a landlord to just leave properties empty in order to retain the rights over it. The same issue happens in NYC, where many owners of industrial property or rent controlled property will simply not rent out when tenants leave and let the property fall into disrepair

[@damienscullytoo]

Like, can't they just do precarious agreements until the owners want to do something with it? Not only is the house getting use, but they've also managed to fix it up. They have done work alone that would have cost the owners tens of thousands. Seems like a game where everyone wins

[@marceltopawian]

Vice, we need more!

[@thebatteries6286]

I applaud the people who are struggling but still do their best to overcome their difficulties as these fine people do! Honest and upfront, they even took the time to fix and repaint walls... These people would make better renters then alot that i've seen! We are all people...

[@wickandde]

I really hope they go far in life, they are young, so skilled and resourceful and so respectful of the places they inhabit. In-between it all they managed to cook a nutritious meal of rice too! No matter what they look after themselves, that's amazing!

[@christinasornbutnark1208]

This is happening to my city, Huntington Beach, California USA. You can’t even get a condo for under 1 million a freaking condo! Guess where I live, yep a condo complex. My husband and I both make a bit over 100K, which seems like enough to buy a home but we have two kids in college. We will have to move eventually bc there is no entry level/ first time buyer priced homes in my city for my kids to start their own families and the city keeps begging the state to stop building the mandatory low income housing. Which the state said ok to. We wouldn’t qualify anyway. The nice houses cost well over 4 mil and up to 10 mil. It’s a joke and it sucks when you get priced out of your *HOME* it’s completely fucked up.

[@annickbate3839]

Move to Florida. Beautiful weather affordable mansions. Miami- west palm or Sarasota. Great colleges here

[@firsttenor76]

Yeah, California housing prices are absolutely insane. I have million dollar houses around me, I'm at the bottom of the mountain / hill community.. and houses less than a block away are going for up to 2 million which is absolutely insane! It just makes no sense. Our house is $700,000 - and our mortgage is only $2300, but I imagine the multi million dollar houses around us are going for $4K to 7K a month.

[@jeffrelf]

Christina Sornbutnark: > It’s a joke... It’s state-sponsored fraud, an inverted pyramid. It can't last.

[@astralfluxaf]

These men are doing amazing work... what you would think is common sense and obvious But the people who own these vacant buildings often times are so far removed from reality.. I’m glad these men are able to bring these things to their attention and hopefully persuade them to do the right thing What’s better.... an empty disgusting building that is falling apart? Or allowing someone to Live there who will fix it up and maintain it for the time being??? Doesn’t make any sense!!! Stop making the rich richer and the poor poorer!

[@VEE3RDEYE]

This proves if we all stop paying rent, home owners will have no occupants, all the buildings are emptied, everyone can move back in for free. Just respect the places, leave the, better than you found them

[@alkureshi]

ENTER BRAIN EXPLODING IDEA GIF HERE

[@Stephen12396]

Really interesting video, I feel as if squatting will become more popular in the future due to the consequences of neoliberal policies that aren't bragged about such as pushing the poor out of being able to afford their own place to live in a city they grew up in, which is quite tragic in a way

[@pureprotein9597]

@J S it’s socialist ideals that make people drop down/ struggle. In Canada no matter who you are(unless indigenous decent) you pay your 26.5-66,5% income tax your whole life, and then when you die they take 1/3 of your possessions. When you die if you are financially unstable and don’t have 1/3 of your worth in cash, the government will take your house/farm and sell it

[@HairEEck]

@@pureprotein9597 none of what you mentionned has anything to do with socialism though. I know americans are brainwashed to fear socialism and associate it with things that aren't even remotely socialist so don't hesitate to ask questions or use the internet to learn more about it, you more than likely already agree with the (real) principles of socialism. Anyway I hope you are having a good day :)

[@maxmoovin]

How can you not be inspired by these artists.

[@WeThePeeps13]

I was thisclose to becoming homeless myself. The housing market in Toronto has skyrocketed and rent's become unaffordable. It's easy to say, "If you can't afford it, just move outta the city" ....the only city I know, the city I LOVE, the place I call home. But, it's not that easy to start over at 50. I contacted a man I barely knew (cleaned his offices, decades ago), to ask if he'd be willing to rent one of several empty houses he owns. At first, he said they were uninhabitable which, they were....due to neglect. A year later I asked him again. I stressed my situation, tried to reason with him, and then, pretty much used the ol' "low rent is better than NO rent" approach. And, VOÍLA..... Home Sweet Home. (It wasn't that easy.... but, totally worth it.) Take a chance, find abandoned properties, talk to the owners.... some of 'em have hearts. Best of luck.

[@sanm5219]

Wow....the passion and the struggle is real, we live in such a world.

[@Spookykidshow]

If you make 30k a year you're in the top 1%

[@jessicasmith7102]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[@timmyspov]

I literally came here expecting to find a forbidden workout technique, smh.

[@glcmranger421]

Literally? Obviously, you don’t know how to use the word “literally.” Get out of mommy’s basement and live! Poor thing... 👶

[@timmyspov]

@Gael Maybe you haven't seen as much weird stuff as I on the internet, but I truly did!

[@daskes123]

@@glcmranger421 Grow up :)

[@timmyspov]

@@glcmranger421 lmfao I haven't been trolled in a while but I'm off today and I have some free time before the carpet cleaners get here. So let's do this 🤡.. Let's compare social media handles for the world to see who actually lives in their parents basement!! Bet you won't accept my challenge; chump!!

[@foreveryactionthereisacons1683]

@@timmyspov I just got told on a completely different site, that I lived in my parents basement. To assume I have two parents and lived in a house, is incredible. I grew up in apartment's with a single mom who worked all the time. Latchkey kid here. The homeless epidemic definitely needs to change. It just takes a paycheck.. that guy is just projecting because he lives in his parents basement.

[@holytoblerone2017]

This phenomenon is actually a big thing in many bigger cities at least in europe, very interesting tho

[@seebass7]

reality show where squatters renovate old buildings into gentrified apartments

[@joetroyner]

Then swiftly get kicked out into the street once the place is sold..

[@HairEEck]

So you prefer an ugly empty building?

[@Debrugger]

Solidarity from Germany!

[@thomasrichards3760]

And from UK. Islam is invading us all.

[@merdab8]

I wish this was more widely done on cities in the U.S. My city is really small but if there's an abandoned house it sells so cheaply that a collective could really help polish it back up. Right now it's done by small families or one guy flipping it for fun but the idea that groups of young people putting eclectic touches around the whole place would be really moving. It's good to know that they would be safe as well. Good job Parisians! Absolutely brilliant.

[@st2udent_650]

Honestly a collective effort to fix and repair houses is brilliant. Ims surprised I haven't heard of it happening anywhere , I believe it would be a funding issue since the people who live in those areas are busy paying their own mortgages. That being said , what city are you in ?

[@2112jonr]

The problem is even worse here in London. Rich and mostly criminal property "developers" hanging on to unused, years empty old commercial buildings until they are worth so much it's worth having them demolished to put expensive flat on them. They give huge back handers to the politicians via donations to political parties, so the law is never changed. Both political parties are equally corrupt. Post COVID we have to vote in change.

[@PaniniPressing]

Thats crazy. You can just Shanghai a vacant building and clean it up and live there rent free. Just come to an agreement with the owner that you'll keep it clean, repair a few things, and Wala!

[@2112jonr]

Sounds like China have got at least that one right. Pragmatic.

[@PaniniPressing]

@@2112jonr thats pretty good.

[@firsttenor76]

I can respect that... breaking into a place, then making it better than when you first found and occupied it. They don't do crazy drugs, they just need a place to live in a spot that is can't be occupied anyway because of expensive building codes. I think it's a win-win for all parties involved.

[@jo3ywils0n39]

That dude has such a French hat

[@enegron6987]

@Buenas Intenciones that’s so funny when I was in France I saw a French drunkman in the subway (metro) Edit: with a Bonaparte hat

[@isobelamber9785]

He made such a good point about the homeless sleeping outside of buildings they could be sleeping inside. There should be some sort of system for abandoned buildings to be acquired by charities

[@PHlophe]

finding an apartment in Paris is PURE HELL . For the same apartment , its not uncommon to see 20 people line up to visit . and sometimes they'd be 3-4 at the same time inside. we need to prevent rich folk from buying 3-4 apartments and detached home and we need to keep all those vapid models from the city . way too expensive to live here. not sustainable .

[@glcmranger421]

Lechiffresix, Don’t you need to find a job? Maybe that’s how the “rich folk” bought those “apartments and detach home” that you want. Life is so complicated, huh? 🤔

[@walkz007]

@@glcmranger421 ouch🤣🤣🤣

[@walkz007]

To be fair you can't stop people from making purchases let alone stopping someone from buying as much as they want if they can afford it because it's the landlord who decides not personal feelings.I think you mean those who buy for vapid purposes like vacation homes instead of priority to locals or those that use the apartments sales for illegal hiding of money,but the rich are going to do rich things.

[@PHlophe]

@@walkz007 its actually easy, the rule number one is that you actually live in the area you are buying the house or apartment in. For most buyers its a pied-a-terre type of deal or they show up once in a blue moon. and then they buy up to 5 homes at a time , pavillions and what have you . if the local authorities kept a registry of multiple home buyers we would not be in this predicament. i had a landlord tell me, how she thought it was unfair cos rich people were buying several places. Mind you the B!tch owned 3 apartments. has anyone ever tried to look for a place to live anywhere in the heart or the outskirts of Paris ? and the reason we need 2 grantors to own a small place . You guys can enjoy Emilie in Paris with her plus size loft .

[@walkz007]

@@PHlophe that's something else I was wondering ,if Paris is too expensive move to the surrounding areas have the government upgrade the road structure ,if it's work there must be other solutions like off site lications,it's something that is happening in most urban cities,it's too expensive to live, so there has been a lot of urban - rural areas.Anyway this is all idealistic thinking because no one is going to turn down money for the sake of being fair.

[@CailynMorningstar]

Good for them! There are so many abandoned buildings that could be used to house the homeless. And at least they're respectful and just trying to find somewhere to live. They're not damaging any of the properties they stay in.

[@kristilisakleiner9384]

They seem to be respectful and have good standards and leave it in better shape and they find it, I have sympathy and respect for them

[@troypropes1182]

It all belongs to the people at the end of the day. These people are brilliant and America should do the same thing. Especially with unoccupied land to build communities out of. Land is ridiculously expensive and it is your God Given right to Land, Security and Freedom in the most real sense of the word.

[@CheekyMonkey888]

i m going to help myself to your ipad you don t mind right?

[@troypropes1182]

@@CheekyMonkey888 not at all. Especially if I had my phone or a computer to use instead. That’s the point, it’s ok to share things you’re not using. The building was falling apart and abandoned before they got their.

[@CheekyMonkey888]

@@troypropes1182 actually I m going to need your phone and pc too, remember from each according to their capacity to each according to their needs, and boy am I needy

[@troypropes1182]

@@CheekyMonkey888 And there in lies the difference between ones Greed Vs. ones Needs.

[@Dontridemynick]

The same thing is currently happening here in Canada right now. Too many speculators buying properties after the covid crisis now many homes are vacant and selling for twice what they were before the pandemic.

[@shoppinmadnesz22]

*what frustrates me is why the police have to kick squatters out of vacant buildings that literally haven't been occupied for years. like wouldn't you rather have them live there than out on the streets? what "damage" could they possibly do to the building that hasn't already been done?*

[@weenfain2321]

15% of property there is not occupied.. let that sink in.. it’s just sitting and there are so many homeless people on the streets.. It’s the same in the US.. So many properties taken over by banks that have sat for years upon years. Let the homeless have them if they’re willing to work and maintain the property and have utilities on etc. It seems like such an easy and humane fix to the huge homeless issue.

[@pureprotein9597]

Taken over by banks because of either not making payments or needing to mortgage it because of estate tax of a dead family member

[@undiemundie661]

These videos by vice are amazing. Easily one of th best videos produced on youtube

[@w8ngr]

Squatting seems like a young mans game my question is what happens to these guys when they hit oap surely it’s not viable to do this when your 70

[@liokin229]

It seems like they have a lot of time to figure something out at least.

[@FuzzyWobble]

Amazing story. Thanks for capturing this VICE. Everyone was so sensible and considerate. Can't imagine how fast people would get tazed and/or shot trying this in USA.

[@myownsite]

Oh look, a bunch of "Real VICE is back!!" comments, despite old Vice never going away but co-existing with newer style of comment.

[@RoastyPotato]

A lot of people saying things to suggest that these squatters are outside the norm. In actual fact, many squats are sober squats, without mad parties 24/7, that really are there due to the moral imperative to use unused resources to help those in need.

[@mr-kanni]

Salut, après 10 ans de squat sur Genève (Suisse), tout est mort au moment où les politiques ont fait un gros coup de force, nous avions 200 squat en 1990, et en 2021 2 ou 3, mais même, si je ne squat plus depuis quelques années, moi et beaucoup de mes connaissances somment parti dans une spiral très précaire ,et nous n'avons malheureusement que trop perdu dans ce combat. ma dernière phrase est ... ( is over ), en tout cas pour ma génération, très bon reportage vice, mais il faut le vivre pour le comprendre, comme un pirate la dit un jour : Car sans rire, c'est plus facile de rêver à ce qu'on ne pourra jamais plus toucher, sur ce bon combat au jeunes. toute mes excuses, je ne suis pas un érudit en Français, et je ne souhaite pas le devenir, juste exposer notre dure vie de pirate du logement.

[@aeon_zero]

We tried this once in Golders Green, the landlord's lawyer told me to show up at the nearest police station, moved to Holloway Road soon after. We also fixed up the place pretty good, but those guys didn't care

[@Stoney-Jacksman]

The idea of buying and owning space is really trippy. It becomes disgusting when some are suffocating because they have no space and the super privileged have all the space. This ish is happening in every big city in the world and especially in the west. Gentrification is killing.

[@IceMaidenxx3]

Incredible! Soooo much admiration. There is a global affordable housing crisis and yet governments still bow to the whims of private landowners and firms... So many empty houses and so many unaffordable new flats... What's the point?! If government's *really* wanted to this crisis could be sorted, but the lack of political will is telling 😒

[@thanibali6774]

i missed the most about living in Paris went to every squats met all the amazing young aspiring artists!

[@suzischwarz4083]

My daughter lives in London for several years with her Dad's parents. She moved on to live with her Boyfriend in private Housing. Rent was £750 per month for a tiny one bed flat, that didn't include Bills Food Clothing Travel in Brixton. I grew up in Brixton!!

[@denniskelley2697]

Vice: Paris' Illegal Squats Me: Damn... Leg day bros must hate it there

[@Yvaelle]

Barbell squats and you drop the barbell when you're done? Straight to jail!

[@chrisbedwards]

This was so good. Minimal editorializing. Just showing us the people and their story, interviewing them a bit, and then wrapping it up.

[@dustin628]

Aw I love these guys! Do they have a channel of their own? Good for them.

[@DD-ih7wn]

These folks have the RIGHT approach. They fix up the place, practice hygiene, a zero drugs policy and exhibit a sincere sense of community with artistic flair. I wish them all the best. 🙏🏼😇👌🏻

[@MinnieMansonDIY]

Why is that guy so effortlessly cool and charming 😍

[@sparkeyjones6261]

I had people do this while I was renovating my house in San Francisco. Now, if they had been artists and people who treated it respectfully, I would have been fine with it. Instead, they were generally dirtbags who trashed the place and pissed off the neighbors.

[@N1pp4l03]

This was really interesting. Please could you follow these people and give an update. I'd totally watch that

[@andressahoese7735]

All I can think of is... what about running water?

[@bandiel4235]

These people are better squaters than most squaters I see on TV.

[@dennispremoli7950]

The problem is always a legal one. If the owner agrees for you to stay, they also become liable in case of a fire or any other issue.

[@louisazraels7072]

I'm not an expert but I suppose a "precarious occupation" agreement probably waives these responsibilities

[@antoniojones4491]

The Europe that we don't see on tv

[@aliciadear]

This was incredible. The people are so charismatic. Good filmmaking too!

[@whyyouasking9744]

I lived in squats in London and Netherlands around 10 years ago

[@glcmranger421]

You’re a hero! Here’s a 🥇

[@clapton5261]

How was it in the Netherlands back then, if you don't mind me asking? And to answer to your screen name, I am just curious lol

[@alexmccartney8827]

People have a problem with letting homeless in buildings because they usually destroy them. A church near me had over £100'000 of damage from squatters. Maybe if they was all this respectful people wouldn't mind so much

[@jfbohorquez97]

Respect for these guys

[@alexandraleurck4692]

Having a place to live is something that I definitely take for granted. I'm glad that it worked out for them in the end, but it is also crazy how expensive Paris is. At some point, only the rich will make up Paris, and diversity in any sense will plummet. Their housing structure needs to be reviewed big time.

[@PresidentialWinner]

If what he says here 4:12 is true, fine. But 90% of squatters just invade people's apartments and mess them up.

[@epicpeppy2977]

Really interesting video. It interesting to compare these to people who Iv seen squat in states. I don't condone this at all but they at least did repairs to building and hopefully paid some amount for being allowed to stay there

[@powsniffer0110]

If these guys had even a little ingenuity they would dress up like city workers with vests or hard hats when they break into a house, and just say they work for the city and are checking things about the property!! Sooo much easier and less chance of people bothering you! Small investment for a big return!

[@gr1mrea9er82]

Municipal workers usually dont carry beers around...

[@moisejl1]

I believe it is an offence to do so, might play against them.

[@powsniffer0110]

@@moisejl1 pretty sure it's already an offense what they're doing haha. So if it's ups their chances of not being caught (which it 110% would), it sounds like a good idea!

[@cynthiasonmez4506]

Remember when Paris Italy Sweden Germany France Greece Spain London Europe we're safe vacation destinations no tent cities and poverty people could afford to live happy

[@deirdre9746]

Yes! Hell yes! A series! These squatters are methodical and genius

[@thecitizenjoan]

Now this is the VICE I love and remember

[@odakyuodakyu6650]

you mean vice magazine in 2007 constantly writing about squatting cause half of its writers lived in the same squat and had nothing else to write about?

[@EtheriumSky]

Does their 'collective' have any name? curious if i can find more info on them?

[@Fattydeposit]

Paris' illegal squats? What, like vast chunks of Africa?

[@admiraldong822]

They’re not squatters, they’re nomadic renovators.

[@oed84]

thank you! finally a proper depiction of what squatters are truly like! they are not the lazy bums and junkies who invade other peoples properties, just because they don't feel like paying rent and who will trash the places they get into. they are decent people who don't have the means to provide themselves with standard living conditions, and who will move into a property and keep the building alive by keeping vermin and vandals out. it's nice to see that there is a way to come to an agreement with the owners, in France. I hope they get to stay there for a long time and can develop the space!