Housing Alliance meets for the second time

Sanierter Altbau (l) neben einem Neubau ist am Stiftsweg in Pankow zu sehen.

The city's new housing alliance for affordable housing in Berlin plans to formulate common goals by the end of the first half of the year.

According to a statement on Monday (Feb. 21, 2022), the partners also want to determine who will make which contribution to achieve these goals. The Berlin Senate as well as the districts, the real estate and construction industry, tenants' and social associations and trade unions had met for the second time in the Red City Hall.

Joint declaration approved

At the first meeting in January, a joint declaration had not yet been reached. On Monday, the participants agreed to increase the share of affordable and community-oriented housing in new construction. To this end, planning and approval procedures will be accelerated. In the existing housing stock, the alliance partners want to ensure that affordable housing continues to be available in all parts of the city and they want to counteract displacement and homelessness. Subsidies and public investments are to ensure that modernizations for greater climate protection will nevertheless be carried out.

"It is clear to all parties involved that no-one solves the new construction issue alone"

Concrete steps toward these goals were not defined during the meeting on Monday. Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) affirmed :"Our city must grow in width, height and density in order to provide a home for all Berliners." New construction, including construction in the city center, needs a new acceptance. "It is clear to all those involved that no one can solve the new construction issue alone," said Construction Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD). "It can only be done together with a citywide show of strength." The red-green-red Senate has set itself the goal of building an average of 20,000 new apartments per year by 2030. The state-owned housing companies, cooperatives and private real estate companies are to participate in this project.