Berlin fights housing crisis with affordable housing project
Berlin authorities headed by Governing Mayor of Berlin Franziska Giffey marked the start of a new affordable housing project in Oberhavel district on 14 October. District councillor Thorsten Schatz and Andreas Geisel, Berlin Senator for Urban Development, Construction and Housing, approved the project with Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Berlin-Mitte (WBM) municipal real estate company.
As part of the project, WBM is to construct two buildings with roughly 240 apartments and total surface area of approximately 25,000 square metres. Besides apartments, the project includes construction of commercial spaces and is to be completed in the summer of 2025. The planned Hakenfelde library will be housed in one of the two new buildings, with WBM stressing that it will contribute to expansion of cultural and social infrastructure in Oberhavel.
Geisel warned that Oberhavel urgently needs more apartments and noted that the newly launched project is part of a broader effort. He stressed the importance of expanding social infrastructure, introducing sustainable energy supply, revitalising green areas and providing better transport solutions in the area. Schatz added that the new library and proximity of the Havel River will increase the appeal of planned apartments and concluded that “future residents will certainly feel very comfortable.”
WBM directors Christina Geib and Steffen Helbig noted that Berlin needs more affordable housing and pointed out that the company will rent out more than 50% of the planned apartments at subsidised price from EUR 6.5 per square metre. They stressed that the move is WBM’s “sustainable contribution to the social housing market in Berlin.” The apartments will be facing a park to the north and the buildings will leave semi-public open spaces between them. WBM’s housing stock in Spandau exceeds 3,000 apartments and will continue to grow with the new affordable housing project.
(Photo credit: Anja / Pixabay)
