Erlangen: Groundbreaking for new apartments – fight for affordable living space!

Erlangen: Groundbreaking for new apartments – fight for affordable living space!

On June 11th, the groundbreaking ceremony for an exciting new building project was held in Büchenbach: 88 new staff apartments are being built on Walberlaweg in the immediate vicinity of the city of Erlangen. This was initiated by the city administration, GEWOBAU and the Erlangen University Hospital. The “Preserve Living Space” initiative was pleased with the construction of additional apartments on site, but warns that this does not compensate for the loss of over 150 cheaper hospital apartments in the city center, which are urgently needed. According to Lukas Eitel, city councilor for the Erlangen Left, the creation of living space in the clinic district is of the utmost importance, after all, there is a lack of suitable accommodation for nursing staff and trainees not far from the university hospital.

The new apartments in Büchenbach, which are located about six kilometers from the clinic, offer a solution, but not for all needs. Existing staff and trainee apartments are currently available directly at the clinic. “We are concerned that the university hospital is planning to convert several dormitories into office or clinic space,” warns Eitel. One building has already been converted accordingly. The initiators of the referendum, which will take place on June 29th, are asking themselves whether only residential use should be permitted in the hospital district in the future.

Citizenship and mobilization

A positive result in the referendum would ensure the protection of existing, affordable housing. The “Preserve Housing” initiative is already actively mobilizing: it is promoting the upcoming vote with campaigns in various parts of the city as well as at train stations and bus stops. Those interested can contact by email buergerbegehren@wohnraum-erhalten.de Contact us for more information about the meetings. We are also calling on people to recruit supporters and display posters in shop windows.

“We are convinced that every vote counts!” emphasizes a member of the initiative. The appeal applies not only to citizens, but also to friends, acquaintances and colleagues who should be informed about the referendum. The aim is to support a broad social alliance in which trade unions, tenant associations, environmental associations and various parties work together.

The lack of living space in Germany

The situation in Erlangen reflects a larger problem: Germany is struggling with a significant shortage of housing. A current study by the “Social Housing” association shows that there is a shortage of around 550,000 apartments nationwide. Immigration in recent years has further fueled the need for living space, while at the same time far too few new apartments are being built. Between 2010 and 2022, rents in major cities rose by almost 70%. In cities, more than half of the population lives in rent, and the number of vacant apartments is unevenly distributed.

Although federal policymakers have set ambitious goals of creating 400,000 new apartments annually, the current construction progress looks bleak: only 294,400 apartments were completed in 2023, and according to forecasts, only 150,000 to 200,000 new apartments are expected for 2025. The reasons for this lie in the increased interest and construction costs as well as complex approval processes. The number of social housing units has also been falling into decline since the 1990s, making the situation even worse.

But what are politicians doing about it? There are often calls for more financial support for social housing. As part of new financial initiatives, the federal government plans to further promote the expansion of social housing, which is particularly important for cities like Erlangen. It is important to find solutions to counteract the lack of living space and at the same time protect existing structures.

Overall, it is clear that the housing challenges are complex and require collective efforts. The referendum on June 29th is not only eagerly awaited in the community, but is also being watched by other social forces. Ultimately, it is a process that will influence the future of the city and its residents.