Lack of housing in Bremen: Families and seniors are particularly affected!

Lack of housing in Bremen: Families and seniors are particularly affected!

In Bremen, the search for an apartment is becoming increasingly challenging. Families with children, seniors and people with low incomes are particularly affected. The demand for living space exceeds the supply, which makes the situation more difficult for those interested in rental. Especially with regard to the demographic development, in which the population is growing in many cities, the housing construction remains behind the needs.

Kornelia Ahlring, managing director of the Bremen tenant association, points out that tenants who have lost their apartment often spend a lot of time before they find a suitable replacement apartment. "A search can take seven to nine months," explains Ahlring. The city urgently needs around 1,000 new apartments annually to meet the growing demand.

Who is particularly difficult when looking for an apartment?

Families face special challenges if they are looking for a new apartment because they are often located. The need to leave children in nearby schools and daycare centers limits the options considerably. In addition, there is a lack of larger apartments with three or more rooms. 

The situation for seniors is similarly precarious because apartments that are suitable for senior citizens are difficult to find. Students who are often faced with high rental prices have considerable difficulties, especially for smaller apartments.

broker Stephan Röpke states that smaller single -family houses can be a possible way out for families. Nevertheless, the search remains extremely difficult for these groups.

What about the municipal housing company Gewoba?

Gewoba has played an important role in the housing market in the past. "If you have time, you will surely find an apartment," says Manfred Corbach from Gewoba. However, you have to expect an average of six months. In the past two years, Gewoba has reduced the number of rented apartments from around 300 to 200 per month, which is due to the overall tense market situation.

These developments also press the number of apartments available. Seniors and people with acute living needs are increasingly difficult to stay at short notice. With a total stock of around 33,000 apartments in Bremen, Gewoba is fighting to cover the need among the increasingly paying tenants.

For singles, on the other hand, the search for apartment is comparatively easier. The flexibility of this group enables you to react faster to available offers. The range of two- to two and a half-room apartments in Bremen is still larger than that of larger apartments, which benefits singles.

In search, however, there are also striking differences between the districts. Campsites in the city center are very much in demand, which extends the waiting time for those interested in living. Central locations such as Ostertor, Steintorviertel as well as Schwachhausen and Findorff are particularly difficult to reach. In contrast, outskirts offer slightly better opportunities.

The demand for living space has also changed in Bremerhaven. While there used to be an overhang of living space, the situation is now more balanced. "In Bremerhaven you will find an apartment on average within two months," says Corbach. The city has continuously won in terms of demand for living space.

Janine Wübben from the Stäwog municipal housing company in Bremerhaven confirms the trend: "The range of large apartments for families and also small, cheap units has decreased significantly." These developments are another sign of the growing challenge in the German housing market, which continues to present people with great challenges.

Details are available on this topic on www.butenunbinnen.de .