Urgent appeal in Rostock: More social housing to combat rent shortages!

Urgent appeal in Rostock: More social housing to combat rent shortages!

At the tenants' day in Rostock-Warnemünde, the German Tenants' Association (DMB) gave alarming insights into the current situation in social housing. The urgent need for action became clear, as the stock of social housing has virtually halved since 2006 and now only amounts to around 1.1 million units. This means that over 11 million tenant households in Germany are entitled to a housing entitlement certificate, while there is a shortage of around 550,000 social housing units nationwide. The figures presented illustrate serious mismanagement by the state regarding support for housing construction.

At the tenants' day it was also noted that around 40,000 social housing units are no longer available every year, while on average only 25,000 new subsidized apartments are built. The DMB proposes to increase the stock of social housing to two million by 2030. To achieve this ambitious goal, 100,000 newly built permanent social housing units are necessary every year. The DMB is calling for an investment program of 12.5 billion euros annually for social housing in order not only to increase the number of social housing, but also to create affordable rental apartments for normal earners.

Political demands and suggestions

In addition to the creation of new apartments, there are calls for improvements in tenancy law, in particular the tightening of the rent cap. Rostock's Senator Ute Fischer-Gäde spoke out in favor of moving away from the expensive “gold standard” in housing construction in order to create affordable living space. Federal Construction Minister Verena Hubertz is also expected in Warnemünde to take part in these important discussions. The delegates also discussed a new property tax in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while the Federal Finance Court is dealing with corresponding model lawsuits.

The figures from a current housing market study by the Pestel Institute also show that there is a shortage of more than 910,000 social housing units nationwide. In cities with tight housing markets, such as Munich, rents are often higher than the average rent. Nationwide, the additional costs of accommodation add up to around 700 million euros per year - an alarming sign that underlines the urgency of measures to combat the shortage of social housing.

Demands for the future

The DMB has therefore formulated clear demands: It is necessary to increase annual spending on social housing to at least 50 billion euros in order to enable the construction of 100,000 social housing units per year. Constitutional protection of social housing and exclusion from the debt brake are further points that are necessary to make progress in social housing. In addition, a fixed “social quota” is required when allocating social housing in order to focus on socially fair criteria.

The day in Rostock was also marked by the election of Melanie Weber-Moritz as the new full-time president of the DMB, replacing Lukas Siebenkotten after 18 years in office. Around 400 delegates, representatives of over 11 million tenant households, will discuss these important issues, which are of utmost importance for the future of the social housing market in Germany.

Time is short: In order to prevent more and more people from falling into the poverty trap caused by rising rents, quick decisions and measures are essential. The demands for more social housing and fair tenancy law must be taken seriously by politicians before it is too late.