From the point of view of the construction industry, the situation is dramatic. Both the number of completed apartments and the number of building permits are falling significantly. And projects that have already been approved are often cancelled, as the Ifo Institute reports.
The need for affordable housing is higher than ever
But that’s only one side, as Robert Feiger from the BAU industrial union emphasizes: “At the same time, the need for affordable housing is greater than we’ve ever had before.” Especially because of the influx of refugees. The lack of affordable housing is becoming a threat to society. At the same time, Feiger, in line with other representatives of the industry, fears a negative spiral in construction. “I see the great danger that, given the need for skilled workers in other sectors, there will of course be a certain migration of workers and this will take place.”
Fast help from politics for crisis-ridden housing construction
Housing construction is therefore at a dangerous tipping point. Against this background, the Alliance for Housing is demanding quick help from politicians, as Christian Staub from the Central Association of the German Construction Industry explains: “We need an increase in funding, we may need to suspend higher energy standards in order to get construction going again immediately – So I’m going to raise an alarm here.”
For social housing alone, the federal government should spend a further 50 billion euros in the form of a new special fund – which raises concerns with building minister Klara Geywitz, SPD: “Special fund sounds great, like a chunk of money, in reality it is but a chunk of debt. That’s a requirement, I can understand that, but we also have to look at the Basic Law, which limits the state’s ability to borrow.”
No promises from Robert Habeck
Economics Minister Robert Habeck also made no firm promise to the assembled industry representatives. It is part of honesty to admit “that we cannot make everything cheaper everywhere, but we can provide targeted support in social and ecological areas that the economy can bear.” According to the Greens politician, it is necessary to examine how existing and possibly saved funds could be used specifically for the construction industry.
criticism from the opposition
Opposition politicians like Mario Czaja from the CDU, on the other hand, accuse the government of aggravating the misery in construction itself: “Because two questions have not been answered. The first question is: What can I expect? The second: What funding do I get? “
This applies in particular to the energy requirements in the building sector – keyword heating. The representatives of the construction industry also see a major problem here. The costs of construction have not only increased due to the higher prices for building materials or higher interest rates, but also due to the ever stricter requirements – from parking spaces to the design of outdoor facilities to the requirements for energy efficiency.
“We’re running out of money for all of these measures that we’re now being asked to do, that’s the reality,” says Axel Gedaschko from the Association of Housing and Real Estate Companies. A problem that Minister of Construction Geywitz also recognizes in principle. She agrees to take a critical look at the construction requirements. You will shake out the building code once thoroughly.