Paris will double the tax on vacant apartments to encourage property owners to rent or sell their empty homes [1].

This policy shift addresses a critical housing crisis in the French capital. By increasing the financial burden on owners of unoccupied units, the city intends to force more inventory onto the market to lower costs and increase availability for residents.

Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire and municipal authorities announced the plan in April 2026 [2]. The measure is designed to target owners who keep apartments empty for speculative purposes or convenience while the city faces a shortage of affordable housing [1, 2]. The tax hike is expected to take effect later in 2026 [2].

The administration believes that a steeper financial penalty will create a necessary incentive for owners to act. The current tax rate will be multiplied by two [1], a move intended to make holding vacant property significantly more expensive.

Grégoire warned that the financial impact on owners would be substantial. "C'est le moment de vendre les logements vacants car ça va cogner très fort," Grégoire said [2]. Translated, the mayor said that it is time to sell vacant housing because the impact will be very hard.

City officials have not yet released the specific updated percentages for the tax, but the doubling of the current rate remains the central pillar of the strategy [1]. The move follows years of rising property values and a dwindling supply of long-term rentals in the city center [1, 2].

“Paris will double the tax on vacant apartments to encourage property owners to rent or sell their empty homes.”

This policy represents an aggressive municipal intervention to combat urban housing shortages. By shifting the cost of vacancy from the public to the private owner, Paris is attempting to use fiscal pressure to artificially increase the supply of available housing without relying on new construction, which is often limited by the city's historic architecture and zoning laws.