Berlin Housing Crisis: Study Proposes Financing 210,000 Apartment Expropriation Without Permanent Subsidies

Rental prices in Berlin have more than doubled since 2012, with average asking rents now at 16.75 euros per square meter compared to 7.40 euros in 2012. An initiative aims to socialize 210,000 apartments, and a new study by Patrick Kaczmarczyk outlines how the state could acquire them without ongoing subsidies. The housing issue has become one of Berlin's toughest social conflicts, as about 85 percent of residents rent their homes. On average, roughly 27 percent of household income goes toward rent, the highest burden among German cities. This especially affects low- and middle-income households, making it increasingly difficult to afford living in the city. The article argues that new construction and affordable rents are necessary, but the text is cut off before further details. The study's model calculation suggests a feasible path for expropriating major housing companies like Deutsche Wohnen, though the full methodology is not provided in the excerpt. The debate over housing affordability and potential expropriation continues to intensify in Berlin.