Potsdam plans 15,000 new apartments - does the rent remains affordable?

Potsdam plans 15,000 new apartments - does the rent remains affordable?

Potsdam, Deutschland - in Potsdam there is a massive housing initiative that could create up to 15,000 new apartments by 2040. The city administration and the building authority intensify their efforts to cover the increasing living space requirement, while the population is to grow from around 188,000 to around 200,000 people according to the BBSR forecasts. Even with ambitious new construction projects, there is an uncovered need of 4,800 apartments, which therefore presents the decision -makers with new challenges that they have to master in order to keep the domestic rents stable. A decline in the number of large households in particular shows a trend that affects the type of apartments required. By 2040, over 80% of households should be one and two-person households, which further heats up the demand for microapartments (apartments up to 30 square meters). According to MAZ-ONLINE.de, the concept of small living identified.

The focus for future housing is clearly obvious: 4,800 new apartments are to be built in Krampnitz, while around 1,000 new units are planned in the long term in Kirchsteigfeld. Another 950 apartments are planned in the Stern Center in Drewitz and around 750 apartments around the main station. Additional offers must also be considered by densification and increase, while in Golm there are 1,700 apartments in the master plan that are currently waiting due to environmental concerns. Although 5,500 apartments already enjoy building law and 2,500 are under construction, about half of the potential that is estimated with 7,725 apartments remains without a legal basis.

politics and tenant protection in view

The city administration not only sees itself confronted with housing construction, but also with the need to strengthen tenant protection. Potsdam city policy plans to take concrete measures against furnished apartments. A corresponding decision in which the testing of the new building is required by small, furnished and temporarily rented apartments was found in the construction committee with the support of the SPD. The idea of ​​preventing microapartments in milieu protection areas could soon become a reality, especially in the areas that are affected by luxury renovations, reports the [Tagesspiegel] (https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/landeshauptstadt/fur- Mehrt-Mieterschutz-in-potsdam-stadtpolit- against-mobled-wohnungen-vorge- 13651051.html).

The risk is also high that rental prices in the city will increase in general, which in particular could put a strain on tenants in these areas. It remains to be seen which measures the city administration will present in summer to meet these challenges. The topic of milieuutz is becoming increasingly important, since the city council also want to explain the Brandenburg suburb of Potsdam's third milieu protection area.

market movements and structural challenges

As the current housing market shows, nationwide developments are also important for the Potsdam situation. The war in Ukraine has raised construction prices and interest rates, which also made new housing builds more difficult. However, the falling construction interest landscape has been sending a positive signal since the end of 2023, while in 2023, an increase in prices for new construction contributed significantly to the revival of the market. As the bmwsb, there are also increasing mortgage degrees that interpreted as a sign of recovery of the market become.

Overall, the shortage of living space in Potsdam remains a highly topical topic that needs to be observed further. While the city endeavors to create new apartments, the tenant protection mentioned is more important than ever to ensure fair and affordable living conditions.