Construction professionals advocate for increased flexibility in designated parking area dimensions
In an effort to address the housing affordability crisis for middle-income households, the Federal Association of Free Real Estate and Housing Companies (BFW) in Baden-Württemberg has proposed a series of measures to boost housing construction.
According to Dieter Rebitzer of the Nürtingen University of Applied Sciences, housing companies invested 2.3 billion euros in the region last year. This investment, however, is not enough to meet the growing demand for affordable housing. To address this, the BFW has presented an economic report outlining their proposed solutions.
Gerald Lipka, the state manager of the BFW, has been a vocal advocate for these measures. He has criticised the state government for failing to address the cost driver of parking spaces in the state building code. Lipka emphasises that construction and land prices must come down to make housing construction affordable for middle-income households.
The BFW has demands on the state government, including loosening and flexibilizing regulations for parking spaces in the state building code. Lipka also suggests a temporary reduction in real estate transfer tax to help middle-income households afford construction loans.
Promoting private builders is seen as a crucial lever to revive housing construction, according to Lipka. He calls for municipalities to reduce construction costs by designating new residential construction areas to increase supply and lower land prices.
Other companies and the public sector also planned 500 million euros in housing investments last year, according to the article. However, these investments alone are not enough to tackle the housing shortage in Baden-Württemberg.
Last year, building permits worth 4.1 billion euros were issued for private households in the southwest. Despite this, the BFW argues that other changes in the state building code are welcome, but they bring little for new buildings.
For more information, Jürgen Schmidt, the contact person for the BFW, can be reached at 0711 66601-147 and j.schmidt@our website. The BFW represents property developers and project developers in Baden-Württemberg and continues to advocate for measures to improve housing affordability in the region.
Municipalities could reduce construction costs for private builders by designating new residential construction areas, lowering land prices, and thereby increasing housing supply. By investing in the region, real-estate companies can help address the housing shortage in Baden-Württemberg, but investments alone may not be sufficient to meet the growing demand for affordable housing for middle-income households.
