Because Germany lags behind in residential construction, Federal Construction Minister Verena Hubertz is proposing the creation of a dedicated federal housing‑construction company. “It could be a game‑changer” she told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. The Federal Property Taskforce (Bima) currently focuses mainly on housing for federal employees, but “we need homes for the entire country. That’s why a federal housing corporation is necessary”. Hubertz said the idea would put German housing on a stronger foundation.
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) had stressed in a speech at the Bertelsmann Foundation on Wednesday that the government should be able to build apartments on a large scale in the future. He suggested founding a state‑owned housing company, but stated that implementing this would require an amendment to the constitution. Hubertz reiterated this point during the Housing‑Construction Day in Berlin last Thursday.
She explained that discussions are already underway to determine which reforms Germany needs and where additional regulations should be introduced. “There will need to be a larger package, not just a single rule for a federal housing company” Hubertz added. The talks are slated to take place throughout the summer.
Regarding the SPD’s response to the party‑shaking results in the state elections in Baden‑Württemberg and Rhineland‑Palatinate, Hubertz said the party has portrayed itself as a reform blocker for far too long. “It’s crucial that the SPD delivers reforms in the short term, but we also need a pitch for the future in the long term” she said. She remains convinced that the party must rekindle the promise of social mobility that earlier generations had made, highlighting that when one works hard, one can afford a good life, a home, or an apartment.
