Scholz emphasizes the need for streamlined construction methods to create cost-effective housing.
In 2023, it's estimated that around 295,000 new homes will be constructed in Germany. But Chancellor Scholz isn't satisfied with this number and plans on pushing for more. He has a solution for achieving this.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to boost the creation of affordable housing in Germany through quicker and more streamlined construction. His goal is to refresh Germany while also making affordable housing accessible, ensuring that towns and villages don't become too pricey, as he mentioned at the German Construction Industry Day. Scholz also remarked that Germany requires 400,000 new houses annually, which is a considerable challenge even in normal circumstances. Due to the ongoing crises and the significant rise in energy and building costs, attaining this target is proving to be more difficult than expected for the German government, the Chancellor added.
"We can't sit back and be satisfied with the nearly 300,000 homes we've managed to build. We have to step things up when it comes to growth," Scholz said at the German Construction Industry Day. "We'll keep setting ambitious goals." High property prices, particularly in urban settings, prompted Scholz to stress the importance of creating affordable housing on a massive scale. This means cutting back on unneeded regulations.
"I don't want to see residents with low incomes being forced to leave cities, followed by those with middle incomes. It's becoming a real problem," Scholz said. To speed up construction, the German government intends to introduce a comprehensive amendment to the Building Code this year. This change aims to simplify and hasten planning and housing development, as well as enable the growth of energy supplies.
Scholz admits that Germany needs modernization. It's promising that Germany's economy is expanding. "We're moving towards becoming climate-neutral and remaining a thriving, comfortable industrial nation. That's positive," Scholz said. However, current methods of managing the state are no longer viable. Instead, there's a need for infrastructure expansion, more housing, more speed, more investment, greater courage, and an attitude of simply getting things done, according to Scholz. The government and private sector must collaborate on this.
