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Here are some examples of ways berlin could have increased the amount of affordable housing: 1. Build more housing on land that is already owned by Berlin Stat

Here are some examples of ways berlin could have increased the amount of affordable housing: 1. Build more housing on land that is already owned by Berlin State 2. Increase the amount of housing support available to low income families 3. Prevent the migration of social housing units to the private market by extending existing contracts. 4. Close loopholes in the Mietpreisbremse that allowed landlords to dramatically raise the rent after renovations. 5. Block NIMBY movements from preventing the construction of housing projects 6. Fund the court system so cases can be resolved in less than a decade. 7. Increase the minimum number of social housing units in new developments to 50% ...

axiosgunnar 6y ago
Only #1, #5 and #6 would actually improve the situation and not be a zero-sum game, the rest is socialism, just rehashed.
- alexgmcm 6y ago
  Socialism is the worker's ownership of the means of production not "when the Government does stuff" Taxing unoccupied properties could help to ensure existing properties were actually used and not just held empty by speculators. But yeah, the main solution is building stuff - I think we need to build residential skyscrapers in the West like they have in Eastern cities, otherwise the urban population densities we are arriving to are unaffordable for most citizens.
  - varispeed 6y ago
    > Taxing unoccupied properties could help to ensure existing properties were actually used and not just held empty by speculators. This won't work, as investors can hire people to live in the property and it will make it more expensive as a result, as someone will have to pay for that extra admin.
    - mariusor 6y ago
      I'm sure that getting payed by people for living in the property, would be better than having to pay people to live there, but I'm no economist.
varispeed 6y ago
7. Why should the other 50% pay more? This is what I am uneasy about - if you work hard, live a modest life to save for a place to live, sacrificing hobbies, socialising, happier life in general and then you have other half who just don't care because they think they should receive everything from the state. This is extremely demotivating and make people question whether they were correct about saving and making sacrifice. I personally know people who became homeless on purpose as they found they could get a house much quicker this way rather than through working their bottoms off. Don't get me wrong - there are people who genuinely need help and I wholeheartedly support that, but I don't think the number is 50%.
- chakhs 6y ago
  or change rules for social housing to something like singapore. anyone who doesn't already own a house is illegible to buy a social housing unit (paid as rent). but it requires huge investments. I also don't want to work my ass off just to end up paying the same % of my salary to the landlord.

axiosgunnar 6y ago

Only #1, #5 and #6 would actually improve the situation and not be a zero-sum game, the rest is socialism, just rehashed.

alexgmcm 6y ago
Socialism is the worker's ownership of the means of production not "when the Government does stuff" Taxing unoccupied properties could help to ensure existing properties were actually used and not just held empty by speculators. But yeah, the main solution is building stuff - I think we need to build residential skyscrapers in the West like they have in Eastern cities, otherwise the urban population densities we are arriving to are unaffordable for most citizens.
- varispeed 6y ago
  > Taxing unoccupied properties could help to ensure existing properties were actually used and not just held empty by speculators. This won't work, as investors can hire people to live in the property and it will make it more expensive as a result, as someone will have to pay for that extra admin.
  - mariusor 6y ago
    I'm sure that getting payed by people for living in the property, would be better than having to pay people to live there, but I'm no economist.

varispeed 6y ago

7. Why should the other 50% pay more? This is what I am uneasy about - if you work hard, live a modest life to save for a place to live, sacrificing hobbies, socialising, happier life in general and then you have other half who just don't care because they think they should receive everything from the state. This is extremely demotivating and make people question whether they were correct about saving and making sacrifice. I personally know people who became homeless on purpose as they found they could get a house much quicker this way rather than through working their bottoms off. Don't get me wrong - there are people who genuinely need help and I wholeheartedly support that, but I don't think the number is 50%.

chakhs 6y ago
or change rules for social housing to something like singapore. anyone who doesn't already own a house is illegible to buy a social housing unit (paid as rent). but it requires huge investments. I also don't want to work my ass off just to end up paying the same % of my salary to the landlord.