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This article will review the public housing policy reform introduced into Mayotte from the mid-2000’s onwards. This reform, which was part of the integration or départementalisation process, made financing arrangements and access to public housing more complex. In parallel with a public policy standardisation process, the decision to maintain specific aspects of the former social welfare system on the island until 2014 would appear to be a contradiction in administrative terms. Public action is further hampered by scarcity of building land, lack of social intermediation structures and the state of existing private housing. As a result, the number of potential beneficiaries of housing benefits has been reduced. All these administrative changes are implemented at local level but the State has nonetheless the central role when it comes to defining eligibility for social assistance.