Stuttgart

Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, is experiencing a challenging housing market situation. The city faces a significant housing shortage, with demand outpacing supply. In 2023, 1,891 new apartments were completed, marking an 86% increase from the previous year. However, building permits declined to a ten-year low of 1,092 in 2023, indicating potential future supply constraints.

The city has approximately 310,000 housing units. Roughly 70% of Stuttgart's residents rent their homes, while 30% are homeowners. As of 2024, the median rent price in Stuttgart is about €15.55 per square meter per month. The median purchase price for apartments is around €6,550 per square meter.

Public and social housing play a crucial role in Stuttgart's housing market. The city aims to enable the construction of 20,000 apartments by 2033, with 30% designated as social housing units. Additionally, 10% of new apartments should be offered below market rent or as affordable condominiums for middle-income households.

The municipal housing company, SWSG (Stuttgarter Wohnungs- und Städtebaugesellschaft), is a significant player in providing affordable housing. In 2019, the European Investment Bank approved a €200 million loan to finance high-energy-efficient social and affordable housing construction and retrofitting in Stuttgart, demonstrating the city's commitment to addressing housing challenges.

Housing cooperatives play a significant role in Stuttgart's housing landscape, with over 100 cooperatives operating in the Baden-Württemberg region, many concentrated in the Stuttgart area. These cooperatives aim to provide affordable housing and foster community living.

The city of Stuttgart actively promotes cooperative housing through various initiatives. For instance, the "Am Rotweg" project in Stuttgart-Rot, developed by two local housing cooperatives, Neues Heim and Zuffenhausen, in collaboration with IBA'27 (International Building Exhibition 2027), aims to replace outdated post-war buildings with sustainable, affordable housing. This project will create up to 280 housing units on a two-hectare site, featuring innovative designs and community spaces.

Stuttgart's authorities have implemented regulations to support cooperative housing, such as the Zweckentfremdungsverbotssatzung (ZwEVS), which governs the use of residential property and addresses homesharing. The city also requires registration for short-term rentals and offers permits for longer-term rentals of residential spaces.

A notable cooperative housing project is the FLÜWO Bauen Wohnen eG, Stuttgart's largest housing cooperative with 9,489 residential units as of 2020. Another significant player is the Landes-Bau-Genossenschaft Württemberg eG, founded in 1921, which manages 5,486 residential units across the Württemberg region.

These initiatives and projects demonstrate Stuttgart's commitment to promoting cooperative housing as a solution for affordable and community-oriented living.

The city administration of Stuttgart is actively addressing the housing shortage and affordability issues. The city has set a target to enable the construction of 20,000 apartments by 2033 to alleviate the housing crisis.

To create more affordable and sustainable housing, Stuttgart has implemented several concrete programs and activities:

1. Social Housing Quota: The city has established a 30% quota for social housing units in newly developed projects, working in cooperation with the private housing industry.

2. Affordable Housing Initiative: 10% of new apartments are required to be offered below the local market average rental rate or as cost-effective condominiums for medium-income households.

3. Urban Planning: The city is passing new development plans to facilitate housing construction and increase the housing supply.

4. Energy Efficiency: New housing projects are expected to achieve energy efficiency performance above legal building standards, aiming for near-zero energy consumption.

5. Retrofitting Program: The city is investing in comprehensive retrofitting of existing social and affordable housing to improve living conditions and energy efficiency.

6. Public-Private Partnerships: Stuttgart is collaborating with housing cooperatives and private investors to develop innovative, community-oriented housing projects.

7. Land Use Policy: The city is leveraging its planning monopoly and public land ownership to promote affordable housing development.

These initiatives demonstrate Stuttgart's commitment to creating more affordable and sustainable housing options for its residents.