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Berlin Greens advocate expropriations of housing groups
An alliance of tenant initiatives wants to “socialize” real estate companies with more than 3000 apartments
Source: dpa / Paul Zinken
To stop the rise in rents, an initiative in Berlin wants to expropriate groups of houses: the Greens are behind the project. However, “qualitative criteria” should be developed for the question of which companies are eligible for this.
DThe Berlin Greens can imagine the expropriation of housing groups to ensure affordable rents and enforce the right to housing for all. At their state party conference on Saturday, delegates supported the goal of a referendum that has been running since February with a large majority.
At the same time, in the decision on the Greens program for the elections to the House of Representatives on September 26, they made it clear that “qualitative criteria” had to be developed for the question of which companies are eligible for expropriation. “We are critical of the discussion on purely quantitative upper limits,” he said.
An alliance of tenant initiatives wants to “socialize” real estate companies with more than 3,000 apartments, that is, expropriate them for billions in compensation under state law. The objective is to stop the rise in rents. On February 26, the alliance began collecting signatures for a referendum that could lead to a referendum. This would take place in parallel to the election of the House of Representatives.
The guiding principle “property obligations” established in the Basic Law must also apply in the realm of housing and land, it is now stated in the green elections program. The key is to protect tenants, curb speculation and increase the proportion of the housing stock oriented to the common good to 50 percent.
Green resolution reveals conflict within the red-red-green coalition
“We would like that circumstances did not force us to use socialization as a last resort in order to comply with the constitutional mandate,” emphasize the Greens. “If real estate companies refuse to fulfill their social responsibility, the public sector, supported by a referendum, will calm the tense situation in the real estate market with this step.”
The Greens’ decision reveals a conflict on this issue within the red-red-green coalition and could be a drag on possible negotiations to continue the alliance after the elections. The SPD is strictly against expropriations. The left, on the other hand, is in favor and actively supports the collection of signatures.
