Association of cities and municipalities is calling for more attractive living in rural areas to combat the housing shortage
Quick Look
- The German Association of Cities and Municipalities is calling for a comprehensive overall concept to make living in rural areas more attractive and to counteract the housing shortage.
- 1.9 million empty apartments and over 700,000 ready-to-move-in units are to be used, supported by better connections to metropolitan areas, health care and local public transport.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
In the last 15 years, rents in Germany have increased by around 65 percent. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities sees the housing shortage not only as a problem in metropolitan areas, but also calls for a holistic approach that also includes rural regions.
The German Association of Cities and Municipalities advocates making living in rural areas more attractive - and thus combating the housing shortage. The federal and state governments should "not just tinker with the symptoms in metropolitan areas through rent controls or housing construction offensives," but must also launch a comprehensive overall concept this year, said the association's general manager, André Berghegger, to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
Germany needs to “rethink” the issue of housing and approach it more sustainably, with the focus on regions outside of metropolitan areas, said Berghegger. In rural regions, 1.9 million apartments would be empty, and more than 700,000 apartments would be ready for occupancy within the next three months.
“It must be possible to better connect rural areas to metropolitan areas through new transport routes such as new or reactivated railway lines and to make them more attractive as living spaces overall,” said Berghegger. Good health care, better cultural and leisure activities and the expansion of local public transport could help to improve structurally weak regions.
Such an overall concept would be a “real contribution to equal living conditions throughout Germany,” said Berghegger. For a sustainable restructuring of the country, funds would also have to be made available from the special fund for infrastructure.
Rents have risen by around 65 percent in 15 years
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The federal and state governments will launch a comprehensive overall concept for housing this year.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What exactly should the overall concept look like?
- What specific measures are planned?
- How are the funds from the special fund for infrastructure distributed?
