Gera is fighting against housing vacancies: single-family houses instead of new buildings!

Gera is fighting against housing vacancies: single-family houses instead of new buildings!

Things are simmering in Gera when it comes to urban development and the housing situation. The city council is faced with the challenge of persuading owners who are unwilling to renovate to bring their properties into shape. Although Gera has a large supply of affordable living space, there is no need for a new multi-storey building as the rents leave little room for modernization. On top of that, modern, high-quality apartments have become a scarce commodity in the city, while places like the Heinrichsquartier on the Weißen Elster are doing good business and selling brilliantly, reports mdr.de.

Experts emphasize that the need for single-family homes is enormous. Up to 1,400 new homes could be necessary by 2035, but there is currently a lack of space for around 180 new construction projects. This sheer shortage of space poses major challenges for the city - an average of 650 square meters is required per single-family home. This shows that building private homes between existing apartment buildings could be a potential solution for stabilizing social structures.

Vacancy and urban redevelopment

The situation in Gera is further complicated by the massive housing vacancies. The city has had about 12,000 vacant homes since the 1990s, and forecasts suggest that number could rise to 10,500 by 2035. According to the city administration, around 7,500 apartments have already been dismantled by 2021 in order to deal with the problem. This is done as part of the “Living Development Concept (EKW)”, which was decided by the city council. The EKW 2035 is decisive for future projects and pursues the goal of developing solutions together with owners and local actors in order to promote district-related concepts, says the city of Gera.

However, one problem remains: many of the vacant apartments are in less desirable locations, especially in multi-story buildings that were built before 1918. Critical voices have become louder in the urban development discussion. Maria-Rita Ledermann, one of the discussion participants, warns against new buildings that could lead to the demolition of empty residential buildings. Instead, it calls for the conversion of the existing buildings.

The way into the future

Urban planning in Gera requires careful consideration of the various interests and points of conflict. City planner Andreas Paul emphasizes that repurposing the existing building is a priority. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that the legal framework makes it difficult to build new projects. The building permit for the most promising areas could take up to five years and visible changes in the cityscape could only become realistic over a period of ten to twenty years.

Despite all the challenges, the city offers the opportunity to counteract an impending housing shortage through well-thought-out planning measures. The commitment to the development concept is already showing initial success, even if the road is long and rocky. But with a courageous approach and the right feeling for the needs of Gera's citizens, Gera could soon flourish again and maintain its place among the more attractive cities in the region.

For detailed information you can read the full reports on mdr.de, Gera.de and bbsr.bund.de: mdr.de, Straight, bbsr.bund.de.