Hamburg's housing construction in the upswing: New hope for tenants!

The Hamburg Senate once again missed the goal of approving 10,000 new apartments annually in 2024. Instead, only 6,710 new apartments were approved, but this represents an increase of 1,306 units compared to the previous year. This corresponds to an increase of almost 25 percent after only 5,404 apartments were approved in 2023, which at that time were at an all-time low. As part of these permits, there are 3,092 units on social housing that has reached the highest number of approved social housing for five years.

Bausenator Karen Pein (SPD) was optimistic about a possible recovery in Hamburg's housing construction. Most of the new permits were granted in the Wandsbek district, followed by Hamburg-Mitte and Hamburg-Nord. 1,952 apartments in Wandsbek were approved in detail, 1,274 in Hamburg-Mitte, 1,179 in Hamburg-Nord, 893 in Altona, 605 in Eimsbüttel, 544 in Harburg and 194 in Bergedorf. The Senate invested 779 million euros in 2024 to keep social housing attractive despite increasing construction costs. The rental prices for social housing vary depending on the funding path: 7 euros/m² in the 1st funding route, 9.10 euros/m² in the 2nd funding path and 12.10 euros/m² in the 3rd funding path, which was introduced in April 2024.

Development of building permits

In recent years, a clear trend in the development of the approved social housing has become visible. A total of 138,932 apartments have been approved since 2011, including 40,539 social housing. The permits in 2024 show that almost half of the approved apartments were publicly funded. The new "Hamburg Standard" is to be introduced in 2025 to further promote the new apartment and comprises a pilot quarters in the Wilhelmsburg town hall district with 1,600 planned residential units and 2,100 in the adjacent Elbine district.

The development of the annual residential units approved shows a long history of fluctuating numbers. This includes maximum in 2013 and 2014 with over 10,000 approved units, while 2023 recorded a decline to 5,404 apartments. With 6,710 permits in 2024, however, a positive trend reversal is emerging that affects both social housing and the general living space situation in Hamburg.