Guest contribution to the housing policy : The Berlin Senate lack the courage

Almost exclusively condos or objects are in Berlin at present to Rent built far above ten euros per square metre (net cold), it is not uncommon for up to 15 Euro. For the poorer half of all Berlin households – and, now, even for average workers, with average income in the Public service, these are not affordable. But what is affordable ?

assuming that the cost of housing a maximum of a third of net household income should not exceed, then it means affordable for households with a disposable income of 2250 Euro per month – statistically, this is considered as poverty line for four people – a mietober limit of 750 euros warm. After deduction of the operating and ancillary costs 500 euros (net cold).

social housing apartments with Rent of about five to six euros per square meter are Needed. And also of the housing shortage affected the middle class with higher income, rental rates may be up to under ten Euro still appropriate.

Could do more for the housing policy?

This is the measuring stick of any housing policy, which claims for itself the title of "social". The gap that has opened in the lower Segment of the housing market between growing demand and shrinking supply is the actual cause of rising Rent.

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you will know pain of single women, the unemployed, pensioners with low pensions, Hartz IV recipients, refugees, but in the meantime, from a mini-job in Bern, nurses, and police officers drag. Meet in January, which entered into force decisions of the Federal government to alleviate the problems of payment low households?

Since the Nineties, and there was broad consensus across all parties that the promotion of non-profit social housing sector, the efforts of all citizens is worth it. Today – across all parties – perplexity, what should be done to help those most in need really.

Since the constitutional reform of 2006, the housing policy is the responsibility of the countries. Could Berlin to do more? Yes, the city could plan recompacting, as well as in the suburbs of new construction areas. You could be based on the building law book (BauGB). The law contains rules which were adopted in 1971 as the urban development promotion act (StBauFG) by the Bundestag in 1986 to BauGB were taken.

As in article 14 of the basic law, intended to limit the constitutional guarantee of Ownership of private owners. If it is in the public interest. Thus, the legislature wanted to strengthen at the beginning of the 1970s, the municipalities, which were similar to today, even then at the mercy of the rapidly rising rental and land prices are largely helpless.

The Senate has lost courage and memory

The legislature has given the Berlin urban planning special rights, with which it shares its objectives of social housing construction can be realized. As a result, the Senate cities can areas physical as the articles of Association "formally", and set the ground to bring prices under control.

These special rights have a similar scope as in urban renewal: access rights include lock Change, pre-emption rights, Umlegungs and expropriation rights, demolition and Baugebote (Paragraph 169 of the BauGB). They help to plan urban developments circumferentially, the halt land speculation and to control urban projects.

Despite the complaints about the impotence of the public authorities to the forces of the market, Berlin is using the existing rights. Although the city had areas in the 1990s, several Development: Spandauer water city, Eldenaer Straße, rummelsburg Bay. However, these were discontinued after 1996, the early unfinished (with the exception of Adlershof), without the experiences and errors to evaluate sufficiently.

Since then, the Senate has lost the courage (and his memory). Today, these special rights are largely forgotten, although they are still applicable.

What are these special rights, however? Prevent private property owners to be recorded at the expense of the public sector increases in value, which are only extensions of the result of communal planning, development and infrastructure. What is crucial is that, with regard to the objectives early on, there's a consensus, and the land prices are already frozen at the beginning of the planning before they rise.

Senate and districts) in a non-stronger Position compared to private builders

the Senate has the right to charge compensatory amounts, to the other Berlin can land in the way of reduced to between purchase prices before the start of planning price purchase (in the beginning. Later, the country can sell the developable land or long lease (to end of privatisation).

It can select the potential clients, cooperatives, municipal housing companies or Private about the concept of procurement procedures. And possible discounts will be for the construction of apartments that will be awarded to a social Rent. All of this can be written in private law contracts binding – including apartment keys, architecture, and design, Rent and periods. Above all, the detail can be done more precisely and legally secure, as it is about requirements in development plans or building permits.

in Short, in formally defined urban development of the Senate and the districts are areas in a non-stronger Position compared to private builders. You need to make use of their rights.

not Overwhelm policy and management with the use of this tool, because so many of the difficult control tasks? No, to the relief of the country it may order a private Development, to these Trustees appoint areas with the implementation of the Development.

The already implemented development areas from Spandau to Adlershof show what is possible. But instead of there build, there is currently a huge implementation deficit. The call for new laws, distracts as it is on the Basis of applicable Law is possible to perform the land market volume and small or large urban development measures and to build with them tens of thousands of affordable apartments.

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Social housing in Berlin apartments should not for the time being, Rents rise for social

Stephan Wiehler

Eberhard is a Professor Emeritus of urban and regional Economics (University of applied Sciences and, most recently, the Center for Metropolitan Studies, TU Berlin).