New building in Favoriten

Rental apartments for 1700 euros for refugees

Favoritenstraße 185: too expensive for most people (see above), now refugee families are moving in.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg, Zwefo)

They are too expensive for many Viennese, now refugees are coming in: The fuss about 110 brand-new "luxury apartments" in Favoriten shows no sign of abating. Protests are forming locally. Those responsible remain vague about how the newcomers will be able to afford this and what costs the taxpayer will have to bear.

Have asylum helpers and social policy lost all sense of proportion and purpose? Many Krone readers have this impression. The trigger: the "Krone" report that refugees are moving into brand new apartments at Favoritenstraße 185 in the tenth district. Including air conditioning, balcony or terrace. In a prime traffic location and with a supermarket in the building. Everything that many Viennese can only dream of.

Initially, the private owner wanted to rent out the 110 apartments on the open market. But far too expensive, as interested parties explained. A price list leaked to the "Krone" shows:

• 1377 total rent for 65 square meters on the fourth floor,
• the small garconniere (one room) for 876 euros,
• For 87 square meters under the roof, tenants had to fork out almost 2,000 euros a month.

Most Viennese couldn't or didn't want to afford that. Especially as it is not the best residential area in the city. The marketing flopped.

Favoritenstrasse 185: too expensive for most people (see above), now refugee families are moving in.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg, Zwefo)

So Diakonie rented the entire property. Together with the Vienna Social Fund (FSW), recognized refugees will soon be made fit for the job market here.

The residents "pay the entire rent themselves", emphasizes Diakonie. But from what money? How high does the Protestant association set the rents anyway? How much does the taxpayer contribute?

These are temporary apartments. The recognized refugees pay the entire rent themselves, including operating costs.

Sprecherin der Diakonie

In response to an inquiry from the "Krone" newspaper, the answer is evasive: "We are currently applying for funding from the FSW for the mandatory integration measures. This includes personnel costs, rent for office space and material costs," says Diakonie. The FSW is funded by the City of Vienna, i.e. by the taxpayer.

Residents of a nearby community building, many of whom have a migrant background, are now collecting signatures to prevent the project: "We don't want another hotspot in Favoriten." The lists are available at Patrubangasse 9 until Friday. The FPÖ has also announced protests.

The project is scheduled to run for 18 months. That is how long the refugee families are to stay at Favoritenstraße 185.