Mayor Broistedt is fighting for better living conditions in Göttingen

Mayor Broistedt is fighting for better living conditions in Göttingen

Housing is a basic need that has now become a challenge for many. In Göttingen, Mayor Petra Broistedt is taking the problem into her own hands and is calling for further development of the Lower Saxony Housing Protection Act (NWoSchG). She presented this on August 12, 2025 at a special meeting of the Social Committee. Their concern: Municipalities should be able to take more effective action against precarious residential properties. Because only with a clear framework for action can grievances be permanently eliminated. Göttingen's concerns are being taken into account nationally, as meineregion365.de clearly addresses the challenges in an increasingly tense housing market situation.

The city of Göttingen already has its own action plan, which has been in force since 2022. Regular checks are carried out and there is close cooperation with social institutions. In addition, individual offers of help are created and alternative living space is examined. “We have been committed to improving the quality of life in precarious living situations for years,” explains Göttingen’s head of social affairs, Anja Krause. But without a suitable legal basis, she also sees progress at risk.

Demands for more security

To counteract this, the city has drawn up a list of demands, which, among other things, stipulates that rent levels should be capped at reasonable prices per square meter. In addition, municipalities should be given the opportunity to enforce rent reductions for those receiving benefits and thus ensure that people live in humane conditions. “Environmental grievances must also be addressed by legally anchoring landlords’ responsibilities for uninhabitable apartments,” said the mayor. In addition, state funding for owners willing to renovate is an important part of creating affordable housing.

The Lower Saxony Housing Protection Act, which came into force in 2021, already defines minimum requirements for the living situation. niedersachsen.de describes that a living space of at least ten square meters must be available per person and all residents should have access to functioning sanitary facilities. Despite these requirements, the need for action remains great, as the DGB Lower Saxony notes. The chairman Dr. Mehrdad Payandeh criticizes the fact that municipalities do not make sufficient use of “optional provisions” to take action against known grievances. His demand is clear: “The control of living space must be made a mandatory task for municipalities.”

Urgent need for action

Particularly striking are the living conditions in accommodation for employees, which often receive too little attention. This problem became particularly visible during the Corona crisis, when some cases in these accommodations led to alarm. niedersachsen.dgb.de draws attention to the fact that the supervisory authorities must act urgently to check and improve the living conditions for all employees. The focus is on implementing existing laws to ensure the safety of residents.

The city of Göttingen has committed itself to the topic of “housing for all” and is relying on a clear action plan to help residents in precarious living conditions. A joint commitment from politics and society is required here in order to sustainably improve the living situation of many people.