- Streamlined guidelines for designing vertical structures
Housing Minister Nicole Razavi aims to make it easier to expand properties to increase housing. By revising the nation's building regulations through the state code, they're easing up on existing safety standards, the CDU representative explained to the German Press Agency in Stuttgart. For instance, when a structure is expanded, revamped, or repurposed, only the altered sections will need to meet today's, sometimes stringent, fire safety regulations in the future. This, as retroactive fire safety measures often drive up renovation costs significantly.
This adjustment to the state building code paves the way for more housing within existing structures. In fact, as early as 2019, it was established that rooftop expansions don't necessitate additional parking spaces or special requirements for accessibility. Also, as of early 2023, such expansions no longer require the installation of elevators. Razavi adds, "However, we still need new construction to create more homes, because every apartment counts."
Simultaneously, Razavi urged landlords of vacant rental units to swiftly re-rent them. "Many of these units are vacant due to ongoing renovations or upgrades," she noted.
The Housing Minister's revised building regulations are intended to facilitate housing expansion by only requiring newly altered sections to meet today's fire safety standards. This policy change has also exempted rooftop expansions from requiring additional parking spaces or installing elevators as of 2023.
Under the new housing policy, it's now easier to increase the living space within existing structures, as these adjustments to the state code have made rooftop expansions less demanding, resulting in cost savings for property owners.
