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Leipzig in turmoil: squatting shows acute housing shortage!
In Leipzig there were again house occupations, which were ended by the police. The reasons are the lack of living space and vacant properties.
Leipzig in turmoil: squatting shows acute housing shortage!
Things are heating up in Leipzig as the city is once again confronted with the issue of squatting. On Wednesday evening, the police went out to end an occupation on Einertstrasse. At around 8:35 p.m., police found four people in the building. They now have to expect charges of trespassing. There is no information yet about the age and gender of the occupiers, but the “Leipzig Occupy” group has already acknowledged the incident via email.
The occupied building has been empty for almost 15 years. Interestingly, it appears to be used as an address for a shell company, which raises the question of why such a property is not made available to the public. Contact with the owner has not yet been established. The members of the group would like people and clubs that have been displaced in the neighborhood to move into the house. However, both the city and the owner are willing to negotiate, and it remains to be seen how this will continue.
Vacancy and lack of living space – an urgent problem
This occupation is not the only incident in Leipzig. On Friday, October 10th, other houses in the city were occupied, including at Lützner Straße 99 and Julius-Krause-Straße 8. The Abeta group has already presented usage concepts here too. However, as already mentioned, these occupations were also ended by the police. City councilor Juliane Nagel (Die Linke) was personally on site at two of the actions and expressed concerns about the acute lack of affordable housing and spaces for public welfare purposes.
As a recent report shows, over a million apartments are empty in Germany. This not only has to do with individuals, but also with systemic problems. Complicated ownership relationships and economic risks are often the reason why vacant properties are not used. Bureaucratic hurdles and lengthy approval procedures also play a role. The economically strong regions often even have speculative vacancies, while in rural areas demographic change leads to both vacancies and the decline of town centers.
Demands and solutions
The criticism of the current handling of vacancies is clear. Nagel complains that the state's approach is often cumbersome and that punishment for misappropriation is primarily focused on holiday apartments. It is also called for property to be obligated in order to address such problems and to implement a stricter ban on misappropriation. Modernization and repair requirements are also on the wish list of many citizens.
The occupations are not only intended to set an example, but also to promote the decriminalization of this practice - especially long-term vacancies with concepts oriented towards the common good. It could make sense to create a nationwide vacancy register to create transparency and support reactivation measures.
The situation in Leipzig reflects the urgent question: How can we deal with the vacancies while at the same time the shortage of living space is becoming increasingly noticeable? A defined legal framework, accelerated approval processes and tax incentives are seen by many as necessary. And not just in Leipzig, but in many cities in Germany.
It remains exciting to see how the situation will develop and whether those responsible are prepared to turn things around. There is definitely no shortage of ideas and engagement from the community.
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