ÖVP initiative

New “guarantee” to create affordable housing

Many people simply cannot afford to build their own home at the moment. Construction costs have recently skyrocketed.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Marianne Mayer - stock.adobe.com)

ÖVP proposal provides for more autonomy for municipalities when it comes to rezoning. In return, this should create more building land for young families, which may cost a maximum of 50 euros per square meter.

The dream of owning a home is currently difficult or even impossible for many young families. The reason for this is the financial challenges involved. Not only have building costs skyrocketed, but building plots at affordable prices are also not so easy to come by. This is an issue that the state is trying to address with the building land mobilization levy.

Free hand for municipalities
A new proposal on how to tackle this problem has now been put forward by ÖVP member of parliament Thomas Steiner. He is in favor of a "rezoning guarantee". In future, municipalities should be given a largely free hand when it comes to rezoning municipal land to building land. Currently, the state has the final say and is very restrictive, according to Steiner.

Many areas in private hands
The reason for this is that the Spatial Planning Advisory Board rejects rezoning if there are already many existing plots of building land in a municipality. However, these areas are usually privately owned, are not sold or are only sold at a high price. The municipality has no means of influencing this. Steiner's proposal therefore provides for the municipalities to be guaranteed the green light from the state for building land rezoning.

Maximum of 50 euros per square meter
In return, the municipalities undertake to make the new building land available exclusively to those who need it most urgently. The price per square meter may not exceed 50 euros. Furthermore, a plot of land may not be larger than 500 square meters, may only be purchased for personal use and must be built on within five years.

Bonus for everyone under 30
"We must finally give people, especially young people, a perspective that it is possible to own property and lead a self-determined life," says the MP. He does not believe that the building land mobilization levy, which is already being implemented, could have a similar effect. Steiner is also in favor of a youth bonus. Everyone under the age of 30 should receive 10,000 euros for their first apartment or house.