Brandenburg's Housing Crisis: Kern Calls for More Funding, Vandré Defends Rent Control
Brandenburg's housing market is under scrutiny as prices rise and vacancies decrease. Maren Kern, CEO of the Association of Berlin-Brandenburg Housing Companies (BBU), has proposed increasing funding and deregulating the sector, while Isabelle Vandré, a Member of the German Bundestag (Left), advocates for continued rent control.
The housing shortage in Potsdam is evident, with the vacancy rate dropping to 1.8 percent. In contrast, other regions like Prignitz and Spree-Neiße have high vacancy rates, over 40 percent in some areas. Isabelle Vandré points to price increases in Potsdam and Brandenburg/Havel as signs of a crisis. In the Berlin outskirts, cold rents have risen from 5.28 euros per square meter in 2015 to 6.42 euros last year.
Maren Kern wants the state to boost annual housing funding from 250 million euros to 400 million euros. She also calls for deregulation and reduced bureaucracy. Kern believes rents are too low in Brandenburg and suggests that without changes, needed apartments in the Berlin outskirts won't be built. Ten years ago, BBU companies charged average net cold rents of 4.83 euros per square meter, which increased to 5.82 euros last year. The Left Party supports the continuation of rent control, with Vandré holding a different view from Kern's proposals.
The differing views on rent control and funding highlight the complexity of Brandenburg's housing market. Maren Kern's proposals aim to stimulate apartment construction, while Isabelle Vandré and the Left Party advocate for tenant protection. The state must weigh these perspectives to address the region's housing challenges effectively.
Read also:
- Planned construction of enclosures within Görlitzer Park faces delays
- Controversy resurfaces following the elimination of diesel filter systems at Neckartor: A renewed conflict over the diesel restriction policy
- Perennial Seeks Growth Marketing & GTM Associate for Carbon Removal Mission
- Foreign financial aid for German citizens residing abroad persists
