Der Wohnungsnot in Karlsruhe wieder Herrin werden – Stellungnahme der Stadtverwaltung (2025/0617)

The City of Karlsruhe’s administration issued a comprehensive statement addressing the escalating housing shortage in the city. The document, produced by the municipal Department for Urban Development, outlines recent construction trends, policy measures, and strategic targets aimed at stabilising the residential market. It reflects the city’s commitment to sustainable urban growth and aligns with wider German housing policy frameworks.

In 2023, Karlsruhe completed 443 new dwellings. This figure more than doubled in 2024, reaching 904 units, with the public housing operator Volkswohnung responsible for roughly one‑fifth (190) of the total. Despite the surge, the proportion of new homes built from existing stock rose to 26.8 % in 2024, indicating a shift towards renovation and infill development. However, the number of approved new‑build projects fell to a historic low, with only 259 of the 438 permits in 2024 designated for new construction.

The city’s “Stadtentwicklungsstrategie 2035 – Wohnen und Bauen” sets a goal of delivering 4 200 new residential units between 2024 and 2027. Current pipelines suggest that 450 units under construction by Volkswohnung will be finished by the end of 2025, but the decreasing construction backlog (from 2 672 to 2 010 units) signals that completions are likely to decline from 2025 onward.

A suite of actions is embedded in the strategy, including:

• Activation of densification potential on under‑used sites.
• Accelerated procedural steps in urban planning.
• Municipal acquisition or pre‑acquisition of land for housing development.
• Creation of a municipal housing programme.
• Identification and recruitment of land resources from federal and state sources.
• Examination of compulsory building orders under § 176 Baugesetzbuch. The “Karlsruher Wohnpotentialflächenatlas (KaWoPA)” provides a data foundation for these initiatives.

While new construction remains essential, the administration emphasises modernisation and energy‑efficient retrofitting of existing stock as a parallel priority, responding to higher construction costs, rising financing rates, material shortages, and broader macro‑economic pressures.

A recent electricity‑meter analysis identified 3 960 vacant apartments in Karlsruhe. Updated census data (15 May 2022) show 5 094 vacant units, with roughly half slated for occupation within three months. The other half are vacant due to ongoing construction, planned demolition, future self‑use, or miscellaneous reasons. No specific measures targeting these vacancy categories have been adopted, and systematic meter‑based monitoring is not planned, though ad‑hoc evaluations may occur.

At present, no city‑wide vacancy register exists. Individual owners may receive written requests to end vacancy when information is available, but a comprehensive register is not in place.

The state‑level incentive offering up to €2 000 per landlord for re‑letting vacant units requires substantial administrative effort. Given current fiscal constraints, the city does not foresee implementing this programme.

Through the “Wohnraumakquise durch Kooperation” programme, 1 000 apartments were secured by May 2022. By 2024, 1 391 units had provided affordable housing to 3 333 individuals. Notable projects include the conversion of the former Paracelsus clinic into 100 units for disadvantaged households and the planned “Dörfle” development offering 130 units from autumn 2025.

Karlsruhe’s approach combines increased densification, accelerated planning, strategic land acquisition, and a strong emphasis on retrofitting existing buildings to meet energy‑efficiency standards. The data illustrate both the potential and the challenges of scaling sustainable housing in a mid‑size German city, offering valuable insights for pan‑European audiences seeking replicable models of resilient, affordable urban development.