Vonovia is not building any new apartments – but the problem is bigger – opinion

The failure of politics in housing construction is so systematic that it should finally be the solution. In any case, scolding corporations like Vonovia is not enough.

With around 490,000 apartments in Germany and others in Sweden and Austria, the Dax group Vonovia is Europe’s largest private landlord. When he now declares that he is suspending his new construction plans in Germany for cost reasons, one can assume political calculations: it is not just the high prices for materials and craftsmen’s services and the increased interest rates that make profit-oriented construction more difficult. There are also various building and tenancy law requirements as well as the fact that subsidies are currently being given preference to energetic renovations because there is so much catching up to do here. The housing industry, which has been spoiled for a long time, wants to build up political pressure.