Retirees Don't Need Larger Apartments: Apartment Swaps in a German City as a Solution to the Housing Crisis
B92 pre 2 dana
Across Germany, there is a housing shortage. New construction remains weak, and rents continue to rise. In Mainz, authorities are attempting to ease pressure on the housing market through an attractive apartment-swap program.
In Mainz, the capital of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, one rule applies: anyone who has a roof over their head tries to keep it—even if the apartment no longer meets their needs. As a result, fewer people are moving within the city of just over 220,000 inhabitants. The municipal housing company Wohnbau Mainz manages around 11,000 apartments. "Currently, only between 45 and 55 apartments become vacant each month", says managing director Roman Becker. The tenant
