- Criticizing the policy of assistance provided by housing authorities.
In the perspective of Saxony-Anhalt's housing sector, the current funding strategy by both federal and local governments falls short, not aligning well with the state's specific circumstances. This strategy predominantly concentrates on the development of about 400,000 new apartments in urban zones, as per the Housing Industry Association and Housing Cooperatives Association.
For the greater part of Saxony-Anhalt's cities, the construction of social housing isn't a practical or essential answer. Instead, the focus should be on strengthening the existing housing inventory. As per the associations, energy-efficient refurbishment and age-appropriate upgrading of the existing housing stock should be the leading focus. They mentioned this in a press statement, stressing that partial demolition of apartments is crucial to addressing the issue, considering the nearly 30,000 vacant apartments in the state.
As per the housing sector, Saxony-Anhalt's average vacancy rate hovers around 12%. Jens Zillmann, the Director of Housing Industry Association, stated, "We need to embrace contraction." Rather than pouring resources into new construction, modern housing should be developed in rural areas through investment. To keep these areas affordable and modern in the future, state subsidies are vital.
The housing sector adds that over 600,000 people in Saxony-Anhalt reside in apartments managed by cooperatives and municipal housing companies.
The current focus on building 400,000 new apartments in urban zones may not fully address Saxony-Anhalt's housing needs, considering the necessity of strengthening its existing inventory. Therefore, energy-efficient refurbishment and age-appropriate upgrades of existing housing, along with partial apartment demolitions, should be prioritized to reduce the number of vacant apartments, which currently stands at nearly 30,000.
