Apartment construction - Gaebler: 20,000 apartments will not be reached by 2025
Senator Christian Gaebler of the Berlin Senate Development estimates a decline in housing construction in Berlin this year instead of a trend reversal. "We likely won't reach the target of 20,000 new housing units this year, and probably not by 2025. It might be 1,000 fewer than the previous year. I hope it stays at that level, it's hard to calculate. "
However, the bottom has been reached. "We expect it to go up again starting in 2025, and there might be another increase in 2026. I hope we can still achieve the 20,000 in this legislative period, at the latest by 2026. The numbers are already picking up at the state-owned housing companies." In the private sector, the reluctance is greater. "But next year, the dynamics of development could be stronger."
"I don't want to deceive people"
The black-red Senate, however, is sticking to the goal of 20,000 new housing units. "I'd be happy to be criticized for it: It makes no sense to deviate from the goal and say that the goal is now only 10,000 new housing units, when the demand for Berlin is clearly greater," explained Gaebler. "I don't want to deceive people. I believe it's better to say that we probably won't reach the 20,000 this year or next, but we're doing everything to make as many housing units as possible."
Overall, Gaebler views the development positively: "I think we did well last year with around 16,000 and in the previous year with about 17,300 housing units given the economic and world political framework conditions," said the SPD politician. "We didn't quite reach the target, but we provided 33,300 new homes for Berliners and Berliners in the past two years."
Gaebler sees movement in the number of building permits
The number of building permits dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2024. "They were above the previous year's month for the first time in May. One month can't tell you much, but it shows that something is moving."
Gaebler also sees a positive trend in social housing. "We approved 3,400 applications last year, which was the second-highest number since 2014. The Investment Bank Berlin predicts that we will exceed 5,000 this year," said the Senator. "Our goal was to have an average of 5,000 subsidized housing units. That will likely be achieved this year."
- Despite Senator Christian Gaebler's estimate of a potential decline in housing construction this year in Berlin, the SPD-led Senate continues to aim for 20,000 new housing units.
- The German Press Agency reported that Gaebler, from the Berlin Senate Development, expressed concern about not reaching the target of 20,000 new housing units this year, but promised to build as many units as possible.
- During a discussion about housing construction in the German Senate, Christian Gaebler emphasized that deviating from the goal of 20,000 new housing units would be misleading, as the demand for housing in Berlin is higher than the suggested lower figure.
- The SPD politician, Christian Gaebler, who oversees housing construction in Berlin, noted a positive trend in the number of building permits, with a notable increase in May 2024 after a decline in the first quarter of the year, signaling progress in housing construction.
