Berlin's Senate has approved a sweeping reform of the city's housing policy, limiting rents on close to 400,000 public housing units to no more than 30 percent of a household income.
In a policy change expected to go into effect on January 1, 2016, rental costs for public housing units in Berlin will be tied to household income. Feargus O'Sullivan of CityLab reports that the change will affect 125,000 public housing units and 280,000 units from state-owned housing companies. To qualify for social or state-owned housing, tenants are currently limited to an annual income of $18,040 for single people and $27,060 for couples (figures in U.S. dollars).
From now on, low-income tenants in these homes will have a guarantee that rent rises will not price them out…
People on low incomes living in social- or state-owned housing will pay no more than a third of their gross income in rent. For tenants in a few buildings with especially high energy costs, that ceiling will be dropped to 25 percent of gross income.
The change, O'Sullivan reports, will allow renters in fast gentrifying neighborhoods to remain in-place with greater protections. Support for renter rights is strong in Berlin, and across Germany, due to the high numbers of renters—estimated at 85 percent of households in Berlin.
FULL STORY: Berlin Just Showed the World How to Keep Housing Affordable
What Happened When Berlin Tried Rent Control?
Enacted in 2015, Berlin's "Mietpreisbremse" ordinance limits rent increases on some (but not all) apartments. According to this study, results have not been ideal.
A Dirty Little Secret: Rising Property Values Are Incompatible With Affordability
Rising property values come with positive community development, but this shift can make neighborhoods inaccessible to low-income renters and fixed-income homeowners.
In Defense of Rent Control
Rent control policies, widely panned by economists, have been shown to slow displacement and keep housing affordable.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI
It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.
Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment
City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.
High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA
When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.
Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada