Scandal surrounding Göttingen residential complex: City investigates catastrophic conditions!

Scandal surrounding Göttingen residential complex: City investigates catastrophic conditions!

The city of Göttingen is particularly in the headlines these days. The catastrophic conditions in the Groner Landstrasse 9/9a/9b residential complex have led to a renewed inspection by the city administration. Conditions are untenable in some apartments: over 121 empty units are heavily littered and infested with vermin. At least a third of these residential complexes are uninhabited, which further exacerbates the security situation. During an inspection, investigators not only found broken windows and defective sanitary facilities, but also four homeless puppies that were taken into care by the veterinary office. These worrying discoveries were documented in a report by HNA.

But what is the situation in the Groner Landstrasse residential complex? Several fires, the most recent being a bulky waste fire in May, have drawn the attention of authorities to this complex. In addition to the city representatives, employees from the police, public order office and property management were also present at the inspection. The entire complex is classified by the city as problematic residential property, and Mayor Petra Broistedt spoke out. She emphasized that the conditions were untenable and called for concrete measures from the management of the homeowners' association. In particular, a legal review is being considered to prevent landlords from covering the cost of rent if they do not ensure acceptable conditions.

Reminder of legal changes

The situation in Göttingen reflects a broader problem. There is an acute shortage of affordable housing in many major German cities. According to an analysis by Böckler, there is a total shortage of around 1.9 million affordable apartments in these cities. Single people and large families are particularly affected by this. The Traffic Light Government has a target of creating 400,000 new homes every year, but this is falling far short of expectations. The challenges for housing construction, such as rising interest rates and construction costs, do the rest.

It is not only the city of Göttingen that is addressing the problem in public; Debates about legal changes are also becoming louder. The starting point is the so-called “rent cap”, which is called for in a similar way to a rent freeze in other regions. Göttingen's mayor is also calling for an examination of the “problem property business model” in order to be able to relieve the burden on the district. Measures launched in 2021 focus on taking preventive action against such objects and significantly improving the situation for those affected. The city has already developed a strategy that includes legal measures and support. Further information on this can be found on the municipal website Göttingen.de.

Future prospects

Given the current challenges, the city has authorized the council to address the situation at the apartment complex. The discussion about possible compulsory administration or compulsory auctions shows how seriously the situation is being taken. The pressure on those responsible to finally abolish obsessive conditions is growing. In times when the corona pandemic has exacerbated the already tense situation and there are no declines in residential property prices, it is important that the city responds with creative solutions.

Overall, one thing is certain: the city of Göttingen has a good hand when it comes to taking action against unsustainable housing conditions. It remains to be seen what additional measures will be taken to improve the living situation of those affected and ultimately create more living space.