Brian Huck about the challenges of the old town of Mainz: living space is missing!

Brian Huck about the challenges of the old town of Mainz: living space is missing!

Brian Huck, a prominent politician of the Greens, made a name for himself in Mainz after he originally only came to the university for an exchange semester. In the meantime, Huck is not only rooted in the old town district, but also a regular actor in local politics. In the last elections, he received impressive 59.6 percent of the vote in June and was therefore elected mayor for the third time. His term is characterized by pressing topics, including the renovation of Ludwigsstrasse and the fight against vacancies in the city center.

In a conversation, Huck explained that the old town differentiates between other parts of the city in its unique structure. "More happens here," he explains, "the special features of the old town also attract people from other parts of the city." The old town is not only a popular place of residence for young students, but also for older people who move into the city after leaving their children.

challenges of living space

huck deals intensively with the lack of living space in the old town. There is a significant demand for apartments; Many new developments, such as those on Ludwigsstrasse, are also supposed to create apartments, but Huck sees frustrations in implementation. "In contrast to other parts of the city, we have no way of gaining additional areas," he says. Existing plots are often sealed, which makes it difficult to designate new living space.

Another problem is the owner structure: if the owners are not interested in a housing construction, the local advisory board is often powerless. Huck refers to flagship projects such as the Römerpassage, where a mixture of shops and apartments succeeds. Such models could also work elsewhere if the owners' commitment were present.

"The city administration has to act with more determination to create living space," demands Huck. He criticizes the city's justifications that certain areas such as Ludwigsstrasse could not be used for residential purposes due to high noise emissions. "The noise values there are no higher than in other places in the city," he says and demands a differentiated view.

Einlahlung and climate adjustment

For the coming years, Huck has also set itself the topic of the removal and climate adjustment on the agenda. Due to the financial Situation of the city, however, it could be difficult to implement appropriate projects. One example is the planned breakdown on the wooden tower, the financing of which has remained unclear. Here a parking space should be converted into a green area to increase the quality of life.

"There are often tensions between the financial possibilities of the city and the wishes of the residents," says Huck, who emphasizes the urgency of the topics. "We explained the climate emergency, but many projects that could continue to us are postponed indefinitely."

In addition to the challenges in the old town, Huck has also observed the changes in celebration culture in recent years. He describes that events such as the 2014 market breakfast are no longer comparable to today's situation. While he appreciates the living culture, he also notices that overcrowding and residents are increasing.

Although Huck comes from the USA and said that the political landscape here is far cheaper for green, the pressure on the old town politicians remains great. However, with his many years of experience in local politics and the firm belief in sustainable development, he could continue to give the old town its positive handwriting.

Brian Huck points out that voters in Mainz are increasingly informed and committed about regional issues. This is shown by the election results that are impressive for the Greens in the old town. A success achieved that Huck appreciates and which he would like to expand in the next five years.

For more details on his career and the developments in the old town of Mainz, we refer to the detailed report on merkurist.de .