Uelzen declares war on Strabs: no more contributions from 2026!

Uelzen declares war on Strabs: no more contributions from 2026!

There is news in the Hanseatic city of Uelzen that should make many residents happy. On June 30, 2025, the Uelzen Council decided to abolish the controversial road expansion contributions (Strabs). This regulation comes into force on January 1, 2026. This means that property owners no longer have to make contributions for the complete renovation of roads or the renewal of ancillary facilities. That's what she reports az online.

The decision is the result of years of discussions in the Council and was passed with two abstentions. The mayor and council hope to finance future road construction costs through general budget funds. It is also planned to use funds from the federal government's new infrastructure package, which is intended to provide a total of 100 billion euros for municipalities over the next 12 years. However, it is still unclear what amount will be available for Uelzen.

Funding and Concerns

Despite the positive feedback on the abolition of the fees, some council members expressed concerns about the new regulations potentially overburdening the city's budget. Foregoing the income from road expansion contributions could, among other things, make it more difficult to finance future road construction projects.

In the past, residents were asked to pay when a municipal road was expanded or renewed. Depending on the federal state, different contribution obligations apply, with the regulations being set out in the Municipal Taxes Act (KAG). There was no uniform regulation in Germany: in some federal states such contributions have long been abolished, in others they are still very popular. For example, federal states such as Hesse still have leeway, while Lower Saxony has left the municipalities to decide whether they want to raise contributions or not. In many cases, the latter have decided against the tax obligation, such as taxpayer.de reported.

A look at the new regulations

For those property owners who were previously affected by the tax obligation, the new regulation is a truly welcome change. In the past, they were able to pay their contributions interest-free in installments for up to 20 years, although a security mortgage was required in the land register. The de minimis limit was particularly pleasing: contributions could be deferred from an amount of 2,400 euros. With the abolition of the strabs, all of this will now be a thing of the past.

A comparison to other federal states shows that Uelzen is not alone with its innovations. Similar decisions have also been made in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. These developments could be seen as a trend towards financial relief for property owners.

Uelzen's handling of the abolition of road expansion contributions is a step in the right direction. The coming months will show how the changes will affect the city's budget and whether the targeted financing options will be successful. But one thing is clear: many residents are breathing a sigh of relief and are happy about the noticeable relief in their wallets.