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Fewer customers, strict requirements: the crisis is hitting urban centers especially. The associations and the Greens are now sounding the alarm: government aid comes too late and is too bureaucratic. At the same time, they presented their own concept.
The Greens, along with commerce, gastronomy and culture, are calling for much more help for these industries in the Corona crisis and beyond. To do this, they presented on Wednesday a concept to “save the interior of cities.” It includes concrete aid for the time of the pandemic, but also longer-term measures such as a new commercial leasing law, an urban emergency fund of more than 500 million euros and a cultural rescue fund.
At the same time, the party and the associations accused the government of serious omissions. The financial aid announced as compensation for the partial closure in November would come too late and bypass many companies. On November 11, they couldn’t even be requested, said the leader of the Green parliamentary group, Katrin Göring-Eckardt. There are problems with both the implementation and the design. “Aid must be made less bureaucratic,” he demanded.
“This is really dramatic”
“A lot of inland cities are really facing an abyss,” said Stefan Genth, general manager of the HDE trade association. The obstacles to obtaining state funds are very high and bureaucratic. In the retail sector, “it is possible to shop safely” even during the pandemic, but people are encouraged to stay home. In the clothing trade with shoes, sporting goods, watches and jewelry, for example, sales fell 40 percent in the first week of November. About 60 percent fewer customers were registered. In the garment sector alone there are 300,000 employees in Germany who now have to worry about their work.
“If you don’t want city centers to be deserted, you have to act now,” said Ingrid Hartges, general manager of the Dehoga gastronomic association. With the new restrictions, which will again reduce the number of infections that has increased considerably, many companies have already been closed for three and a half months this year. “It’s really dramatic.” The managing director of the German Cultural Council, Olaf Zimmermann, warned that the partial lockdown is a complete lockdown on his industry, and has often been since March. It is the “worst case”.
In city centers, the exhaustion of shops and desertification have been a problem for years. The cause is competition from online retailers and large suburban shopping centers, but also high rents. In the Corona crisis, fewer customers, stringent requirements, and mandatory breaks for many facilities and businesses have dramatically exacerbated the situation.
Cultural rescue fund and “purchase vouchers on the spot”
The concept presented now provides in detail, among other things, the introduction of an “entrepreneur salary” for the self-employed and also to help those affected who previously “have been left behind”. Companies, but also social institutions, associations and small businesses should have more security and flexibility in renting during the crisis. A cultural rescue fund and a noise protection fund for cultural institutions are part of it as much as “shopping vouchers on the spot”, which are intended to support retailers, restaurants and cultural institutions.
For most claims, estimated costs are not given; this is different with the “Städtebaunotfallfonds”, which aims to combat vacancies with 500 million euros. Inland cities should be greener and more pedestrian and bicycle friendly, so that people like to stay there. “Effective local rental limits” that guarantee affordable housing in city centers are also on the demand list.
Round table in October
In October, Federal Economy Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) invited those affected to a round table on the topic of death in stores, and further discussions should follow. A concept has not been published yet.
For companies and people directly affected by the partial closure of November, such as artists or restaurants and pubs, there should be additional aid totaling ten billion euros. In addition, there is the federal crown bridge aid, which is more extensive.
