Housing boom: IG Bau urgently calls for a new building offensive in Rosenheim!

Housing boom: IG Bau urgently calls for a new building offensive in Rosenheim!

There is a need for action in housing construction, and not just in Rosenheim. The IG Bau Oberbayern has once again called for a “living boom” in order to meet the increasing demands on living space in the region. In 2024, 322 new apartments were built in Rosenheim, after 332 new construction projects were started in 2023. Of these, 44 were in the form of one- and two-family houses, according to the current figures from IG Bau, which is based on surveys by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). District chairman Harald Wulf emphasizes the urgency of creating enough social housing and affordable housing to meet the needs of the population.

The estimated construction costs for Rosenheim next year will be around 60.1 million euros. A new construction offensive is also required in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district, as a total of 467 new apartments were built here in 2022. A large proportion of these, namely 274, were single and two-family homes. Costs of around 131.7 million euros were even estimated for 2024, which also alarmed the union. Wulf is therefore not only calling for a new construction offensive, but also more renovations, especially for senior-friendly living.

Efficient planning and building

As Wulf explains, construction costs could be reduced by a quarter to a third if the right measures are taken. A de-bureaucratization in the construction industry is considered essential in order to be able to realize new construction projects faster and more cost-effectively. Suggestions for reducing costs include reducing excessive standards and abolishing cost-increasing DIN standards. In addition, it is recommended to use “Building Type E”, which promotes simple and efficient construction.

Another factor is the increased interest and construction costs caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. These make building new housing even more difficult. The federal government has therefore already taken measures to help the construction industry. However, there are bright spots - building interest rates have fallen significantly since the end of 2023, which has improved the situation.

Future challenges and needs

The numbers speak for themselves: nationwide there is a shortage of 100,000 social housing units every year, which requires at least 11 billion euros in funding. The state would also have to provide at least 4 billion euros in subsidies for the urgently needed 60,000 affordable apartments. These challenges are particularly evident in growing metropolitan areas, where asking rents continue to rise steeply.

In 2023, an increase of 21% was recorded in social housing construction; 49,591 residential units are currently benefiting from subsidies. Nevertheless, the existing stock of social rental apartments, around 1.07 million at the end of 2023, remains under pressure. It is all the more time to provide more living space and at the same time optimize construction costs in order to meet the needs of the people in Rosenheim, Neuburg-Schrobenhausen and beyond.

In summary: IG Bau demands not just words, but actions. This is the only way to effectively address the challenge of the housing market. The region needs a good hand in planning and design to ensure the quality of life for everyone.

For detailed information about the situation on the housing market you can read the reports from Innpulse, Augsburger Allgemeine and bmwsb.bund.de consult.