Göttingen in crisis mode: Council fights against intolerable living conditions!

Göttingen in crisis mode: Council fights against intolerable living conditions!

Groner Landstraße 9, 37073 Göttingen, Deutschland - The city of Göttingen is confronted with serious challenges in connection with a residential complex on Groner Landstrasse. The city council has now responded to the "intolerable conditions" in this system and calls on the administration to take appropriate measures. In the residential complex, which offers a total of 432 residential units for an estimated 700 people, the problems are piling up: from frequent garbage accumulation, repeated fires to stolen bicycles. The situation is such precarious that the Council has ordered a comprehensive examination of all juridical aspects to find solutions. This ranges from considering a forced administration to the possible foreclosure of the apartments, which are owned by an insolvent majority owner, which holds two thirds of the inventory. These ambiguities led to 110 apartments empty in 2024. Since September 2023, the city has been working as a mediator between the insolvency administrators, the apartment owner administration and other bodies involved to improve the life situation of the residents. However, the SPD council group noted that despite all efforts, other legal options have to be worked out to help the tenants. A non -public special committee, initiated by the Greens, is called to consult on action options. The plans should be tangible by the end of October 2025 at the latest, since the condition in the apartments is worrying, also from a hygienic point of view.

How did this situation come about? In April 2024, a local inspection was organized to take a look at the living conditions on site. The urban unit to improve precarious residential properties had invited to offer the residents support and to take their symptoms seriously. It turned out that there were regular inspections before pandemic to check aspects such as fire protection, hygiene and pest infestation. The new measure also included info hotlines to offer residents support. The head of operations at the Göttingen police inspection accompanied this campaign, as indications of inappropriate behavior on the part of some residents. To ensure security, two police drones were even used. The city wants to prevent the situation from going apart and the atmosphere that is already tense.

The large housing shortage

The problem of living conditions in Göttingen is not necessarily an isolated case. A total of around 1.9 million cheap apartments are missing in large German cities. Single people with low incomes and large families who often rely on help are particularly affected. The developments in Göttingen follow a worrying trend, which is additionally exacerbated by high construction costs and interest. In this context, the slow progress in the new building of social housing can also be seen. Experts already warn of dramatic conditions and demand measures to strengthen public housing.

While the city administration in Göttingen is trying to solve the pressing problems, the major challenges on the housing market are a nationwide topic in Germany. The traffic light government has set itself the goal of building 400,000 new apartments annually, but reality looks different. The number of completions in the coming years could decrease to historical lows, which continues to complicate the situation for many people who are urgently dependent on affordable living space. Therefore, it is all the more important that cities like Göttingen tackle and find solutions for their citizens.