Erfurt's old town under pressure: Millions are missing for new apartments!

Erfurt's old town under pressure: Millions are missing for new apartments!

In the beautiful old town of Erfurt, a development spills over the roofs, which is causing many worries: more and more living space is being converted into holiday apartments. Lars Bredemeier, the deputy for urban development, emphasizes that between 3,800 and 6,900 new apartments will be needed in the next 15 years. This number urgently shows how high the pressure on the housing market is, while the number of apartments continues to increase. Der Thuringia24 reports that this development has endangered the renovation work that has made valuable progress in recent years.

With the framework plan "Extended Old Town", the city pursues the ambitious goal of maintaining the living space, further developing and protecting the quality of living. However, the increasing use of apartments as holiday accommodation is directly opposed to these goals. The unauthorized holiday apartments that are difficult to grasp according to Bredemeier are particularly problematic. There are currently 60 procedures that affect around 200 of these accommodations. Further exams have already been planned to master this problem.

controls and permits in the focus

The city administration carried out its own research on unauthorized holiday apartments, supported by information from the population. Landlords who have no permits are given the opportunity to hear; According to this, a subsequent approval can be granted if there are no legal obstacles. However, the prerequisite remains that the apartments may no longer be used as holiday accommodations if all conditions are not met.

A point that must not be neglected in this discussion is the role of tourism. Christian Fothe from Erfurt Tourismus und Marketing GmbH underlines the importance of a busy city center as part of the city's attractiveness. However, too many apartments could endanger the acceptance of tourism in the population. Therefore, Erfurt strives for a balance between living space and a tourist offer - a challenge that cannot be easily mastered in view of the high need for apartments.

the nationwide lack of living space

Wherever you look, the lack of living space is not just a local problem. A current study shows that around 550,000 apartments are missing nationwide. The reasons are complex: high immigration numbers, a continued low building and the rising rents in the big cities are just a few of the problems. It becomes particularly noticeable in Erfurt, since in 2023 almost 52% of people in Germany live for rent, which further increases the pressure on rental prices. These figures come from the Federal Center for Political Education.

In order to improve the situation, binding legal foundations are necessary, especially to misuse of living space. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of solid framework conditions in Thuringia, which the city administration is all the more obliged to ensure order. If Erfurt also wants to preserve his living space for future generations, it has to be traded now - so that the old town remains a lively place for locals and tourists.