According to the Association of Cities, around 15 percent of people in cities live in apartments that are too small and overcrowded. How can the situation be changed?
In view of the shortage of living space, the German Association of Cities is calling for more money for social housing, a strengthening of the right of first refusal for municipalities and stronger incentives to exchange apartments. The measures are part of a bundle of demands that the association presented after a meeting of around 20 city leaders from all over Germany in Neubrandenburg.
New construction and existing apartments are important
“Fewer and fewer social housing, drastically increasing construction costs and high demand are a dangerous mix,” said City Council President and Mayor of Münster, Markus Lewe (CDU), according to the announcement.
“Housing construction is currently coming to a screeching halt because it is currently not profitable for anyone to build new houses or apartments.” The problem of the lack of living space cannot be solved with new construction alone; existing apartments would also have to be taken into account.
According to the Association of Cities, around 15 percent of people in cities live in apartments that are too small and overcrowded. At the same time, older people in particular live in very large apartments. For them, an exchange with new rental contracts is not worth it. New instruments are needed here.
In addition, the federal and state governments should provide investment grants to help achieve the federal government’s goal of building 100,000 social housing units per year. According to the association’s ideas, pre-emption rights should also be extended to all properties in the municipality.
Source: Stern
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