Election benchmark 1
Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is a key prerequisite for a successful academic career. That is why we are pursuing a long-term strategy that combines new construction, modernization, and more efficient use of existing capacity. Funding programs such as “Junges Wohnen” have already made a valuable contribution and should continue to be used strategically.
At the same time, we want to expedite planning and permitting processes so that new dormitory spaces can be created more quickly. Our goal is to provide sufficient affordable housing and to ensure that university towns in Saxony-Anhalt remain attractive in the long term.

By simplifying building regulations, promoting private and municipal housing construction, and removing climate policy requirements, we will be able to increase the supply of student housing and expand the state-funded dormitory system.

We want to support the student services organizations in creating more dormitory spaces. Our goal is for everyone seeking student accommodation to be able to find a place to live and for there to be at least one dormitory at every college campus. The construction of student housing must be actively supported. As a first step, we want to ensure that the “Junges Wohnen” program becomes attractive to student services organizations and push for the Ministry of Finance to take advantage of the opportunity to sell land at half price for student housing construction.

Investments in housing for students and apprentices are a priority for the SPD. To this end, we want to structure funding from the federal “Junges Wohnen” program so that it can be used to create and modernize housing for students. Student services organizations are important partners in this effort and deserve special support. We support any necessary changes to the existing guidelines to achieve this goal.

In the long run, student housing will not be able to fully meet the demand for student housing. The best way to ensure affordable housing is, in principle, to create conditions that make investments in new construction and renovation financially viable. This would create an economic incentive to meet rising demand with a greater supply – unfortunately, in many places in Germany, the opposite is happening: authorities are attempting to address the shortage with ever more legal requirements and other government interventions. That cannot work. A major advantage of Saxony-Anhalt is that, given the still-high vacancy rates, affordable housing is available almost everywhere on the regular housing market.

To ensure affordable housing, rent caps should be implemented, the construction of dormitories for apprentices and students will be significantly expanded by improving the “Junges Wohnen” funding guidelines, and social housing construction and the federal funds allocated for this purpose will be made available in Saxony-Anhalt. We want to specifically promote communal living arrangements such as cooperatives, multigenerational housing, and rental housing projects; this will also benefit students.

Rising housing costs pose significant challenges for many students. We are therefore focusing on measures that have a lasting impact: expanding the housing supply, modernizing existing dormitories, and investing in energy efficiency.
Energy-efficient buildings reduce utility costs in the long term and provide immediate relief for students. At the same time, we support policies that facilitate housing construction, thereby contributing to a greater supply of housing and more stable rent prices. In addition, we advocate at the federal level for reliable and needs-based student financial aid.

Instead of constantly introducing new subsidy programs, we are focusing on measures to reduce overall costs. These include cutting red tape and excessive climate-related building regulations, speeding up permitting processes, and creating more housing. We will curb rising utility costs through an affordable and reliable energy policy. The so-called “energy transition” has failed. The energy policy path it has taken is, among other things, the cause of high energy costs and rising energy poverty. We therefore need a fundamental change in energy policy.

In student housing, we are ensuring that rent and utility costs remain affordable by providing greater financial support to student services organizations, which has so far been significantly below the national average. To support tenants in general, we want to enact a regulation for cities with tight housing markets, advocate for a genuine rent cap, and strengthen the nonprofit housing sector. We are also committed to ensuring that the housing allowance under the BAföG reflects actual costs.

See the answer to question a) at
(The SPD answered the questions in context.)

We advocate lowering the electricity tax – not only for industry but for all consumers – to the minimum level permitted under European law, as well as a method for calculating grid fees that no longer puts Saxony-Anhalt at a disadvantage. The rigid caps on energy-efficiency renovations are hindering the modernization of the building stock. We are advocating for a relaxation of these limits so that such investments can move forward and, ultimately, utility costs can be reduced.

As mentioned, we plan to implement a rent cap and improve the availability of affordable housing through student services organizations. We are also advocating at the federal level for a reform of the BAföG program so that more financial resources are available to students overall.

Student services organizations make an important contribution to the social infrastructure at our universities. That is why they should continue to have reliable access to funding for the renovation, modernization, and expansion of their student housing.
Investments in energy efficiency, accessibility, and modern living standards are particularly important in this regard. In addition, we want to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and streamline procedures so that necessary construction projects can be implemented more quickly. In this way, we will create modern and affordable housing options for students in Saxony-Anhalt.

We will facilitate investments in the renovation and modernization of student housing by streamlining procedures – free from climate-ideological mandates – and reducing bureaucratic hurdles. Funding must be used in a targeted manner and focused more strongly on maintaining and expanding housing infrastructure. At the same time, we want to reduce construction and operating costs through faster approval processes and a reliable and affordable energy policy. This will provide long-term relief to student services organizations and help keep rental costs for students stable.

Here, too, the first step must be to make the “Junges Wohnen” program attractive to the student services organizations so that these funds can actually be used for renovations. Fundamentally, student services organizations must receive adequate and reliable funding in line with their responsibilities, enabling them to carry out the long-term renovation of their housing stock. We want to ensure that reserves set aside for renovation and modernization can actually be used for those purposes and do not have to be diverted to other tasks.

See the answer to question a) at
(The SPD answered the questions in context.)

We are committed to ensuring that the federal government’s social housing support is better tailored to the specific needs of Saxony-Anhalt, thereby improving conditions in particular for the renovation of existing housing stock.. This also applies to the student housing facilities operated by the student services organizations.

We want to make the “Junges Wohnen” funding guidelines more practical by simplifying the eligibility requirements and aligning them with those of other federal states.