Berlin (dts) - In view of the collapse in the number of building permits, the Left is calling for a housing construction fund. Party leader Janine Wissler said on Friday: “If you want affordable housing, you shouldn’t rely on the market.”
“Cooperatives and municipal housing companies are crucial in the fight against the housing crisis. They need support.” The federal government must set up a housing construction fund worth 20 billion euros. “This fund should finance a whole package of measures – from tax breaks to targeted funding and the purchase of building land.” Where speculators refuse to hand over unused building land at affordable prices, the land must be expropriated, Wissler continued. In addition, the privatization of public land must end. “We need a land security law with which we guarantee the municipalities’ right of first refusal.”
“The number of residential building permits also fell significantly in February. This is an alarm signal that the federal government cannot ignore again. The lack of building permits today is tomorrow's housing crisis.” It is already clear that the traffic light will miss its goal of building 400.000 new apartments this year. “The federal government is exacerbating the housing crisis by doing nothing,” said the Left leader.
“While millions of people search in vain for affordable and appropriate housing, the responsible Federal Construction Minister is burying her head in the sand. Klara Geywitz takes refuge in the illusion in which private developers are building hundreds of thousands of affordable apartments thanks to small tax incentives." The federal government will have built a total of 2023 apartments in 68, which is a "bad joke given the disastrous situation on the housing market and the desperation of many people looking for housing." said Wissler.
