Verena Hubertz Takes the Wheel for Housing Construction: Ambitious Plans but Vague Promises?
Hubertz deliberates against constructing a residence
The federal government's housing construction ambitions rise once more, as new Federal Minister of Housing, Verena Hubertz, steps into the picture. At just 37 years old, this entrepreneur-turned-politician is determined to turn around the losses experienced by her predecessors and alleviate Germany's housing shortage, estimated at one million social housing units[1].
Previously successful with her startup platform "Kitchen Stories", Hubertz shows no signs of retirement, eager to tackle the issue of housing construction and streamline the process. In an interview with Markus Lanz on ZDF, she discusses her plans, challenges, and the motivation behind her stunning entry into politics.
Enterpreneur in the Ministries
As an optimist hoping to set the construction cart back on track, Hubertz explains her goals: "I've seen that we're building too slowly, too expensively, and too little." However, when asked about her specific goals for apartment construction, such as her predecessor's 400,000, she avoids pinning down a specific number. Instead, she focuses on regional analysis, considering demographic change and immigration patterns[1].
Cutting Red Tape and Affordable Housing
One thing Hubertz is certain about is the need to dismantle bureaucratic hurdles. She vows to reduce bureaucracy by 25%, create affordable housing in new builds with rents under €15 per square meter, and has already slashed her ministry's staff to 500, with a further 2,500 reductions planned in subordinate authorities[1].
A Bumpy Road Ahead
Experts like Matthias Günther, head of the Pestel Institute in Hannover, have their concerns. Günther notes that achieving rents below €15 per square meter in expensive cities such as Hamburg, Cologne, or Munich will be challenging, if not impossible[1]. Nonetheless, he believes that costs can be reduced by 25-30% through removing unnecessary construction standards.
Scaling, Harmonizing, and District-Specific Solutions
In practical terms, Hubertz's "construction turbo" initiative aims to simplify building regulations and synchronize them across federal states, instead of developing new standards for each state[1]. However, she also acknowledges the need for district-specific solutions, such as building type E, which allows for deviations from current technical standards, promoting affordable construction[2].
Financing the Renovation
Günther argues that financing remains a crucial aspect, as the Ministry of Finance must provide sufficient funds to kickstart construction, particularly in the short term[1]. While the details surrounding Hubertz's "construction turbo" initiative are yet to be fully established, she remains determined to make an impact, understanding the urgency of the housing shortage crisis currently facing Germany.
[1] Bundesregierung.de[2] pestel.de
- The new Federal Minister of Housing, Verena Hubertz, aims to address the housing shortage in Germany by streamlining the construction process and reducing bureaucracy, as part of her 'construction turbo' initiative, which involves scaling and harmonizing building regulations across federal states and focusing on district-specific solutions.
- Despite the ambitious plans outlined by Verena Hubertz to tackle Germany's housing crisis, questions remain about the feasibility of her goal to create affordable housing with rents under €15 per square meter in expensive cities like Hamburg, Cologne, or Munich, considering the challenges posed by politics, employment policy, and general-news factors such as demographic change and immigration patterns.
