Police search occupied house in Bremer Neustadt – activists affected!

Police search occupied house in Bremer Neustadt – activists affected!

On Tuesday morning, November 4th, 2025, there was a surprising police operation in Bremer Neustadt. The officers searched an occupied house on Kornstrasse, which had been used by the activist group “Vacancy Design” since October 18, 2025. The search began early at 6 a.m. and there appeared to be no people in the house at the time. This raises questions: Where were the activists? And why has the situation become so serious?

The occupiers had decided not to sleep in the house from Sunday evening, raising significant safety and health concerns. The activist group said the health condition of the house, particularly the mold growth, posed a health risk. This issue brings to the surface a more serious issue: the nationwide housing shortage. According to a study commissioned by the “Social Housing” association, there is a shortage of over 550,000 apartments nationwide. This dramatic shortage is due to high immigration numbers and insufficient construction activity, which makes the situation even worse for many people who are urgently looking for housing.

The city administration and the owner

While the police searched the house without delay, the 87-year-old owner filed a complaint for trespassing. He had previously informed the police about a broken gas pipe, which led to the precautionary measure of turning off the electricity and gas in the building. It is suspected that the lines could pose a danger, complained the police. The authorities also reported that the investigations against the activists were continuing as there had already been contact with them and the owner.

Numerous supporters of the squatting gathered in front of the building. Their presence shows that there is a certain level of solidarity among the population, especially at a time when many people are struggling with rising rents and rising costs of living. Statistics show that rents are rising sharply in major cities - for example, average relet rents rose by almost 70% between 2010 and 2022.

The demand for solutions

The police aim to find an orderly and legally secure solution, while the regional association Haus & Grund contradicts the activists' statements and emphasizes that the owner has always tried to carry out renovations. So there is more at stake than just evicting a squat; It's about denouncing a much bigger problem - the inability to provide sufficient housing while at the same time many apartments remain empty. A large number of these empty apartments are unused, while at the same time there are millions of people who are urgently looking for accommodation.

In this context, the discussion about social housing policy and the need for new social housing is becoming increasingly louder. The traffic light government had set the goal of creating 100,000 new social housing units annually, but hardly any of these ambitious plans have been reflected in reality. The sustained decline in social housing since the 1990s has led many to doubt the efficiency of current housing policy.

The situation in Bremer Neustadt is just one example of a much deeper crisis in the housing market that absolutely requires a solution.