Overview of Publication
The article “Towards a Freiburg Model of Housing for the Common Good? Fostering Collaborative Housing in Urban Development” is published in the Open Access journal Urban Planning (Volume 9, Article 8191, 2024). It is authored by Benedikt Schmid (Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg), Carola Fricke (Junior Professor of Human Geography, Department of European Social Research, Saarland University), and Cathrin Zengerling (Legal scholar in environmental, energy, and planning law, University of Freiburg). The authors bring interdisciplinary expertise in geography, law, and sustainable urban transformation, and the paper is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Research Focus and Context
The study examines how municipal housing policies, planning law, and collaborative housing organisations interact in the Kleineschholz district development in Freiburg, Germany. It highlights the shift from market‑driven housing toward “common‑good” oriented, community‑led projects, set against strained local budgets and entrenched market principles.
Methodology Employed
The authors combined document analysis, ten semi‑structured interviews (four municipal officials, six housing‑organisation representatives), and participant observation of public hearings, workshops, and community meetings. This mixed‑methods approach provided insight into policy documents, stakeholder perspectives, and on‑the‑ground dynamics.
Key Project Data
- Planned residential units: ≈ 500 on a 77,500 m² site.
- Estimated construction start: 2025; completion target: 2033.
- Public funding: > €6 million from the federal land agency (BImA) plus > €6 million municipal subsidy for price‑restricted housing.
- Energy design: mandatory district‑heating connection, 35 % roof area for photovoltaic modules, minimum energy‑efficiency standard 55.
- Leasehold or purchase options with a 99‑year repurchase right for the city.
- Concept‑based tendering invites ≈ 16 projects, with low‑threshold initial application requirements.
Concept‑Based Tendering Explained
Unlike point‑based scoring, the Kleineschholz tender uses qualitative assessment of project concepts. Evaluation criteria include contribution to the neighbourhood, financial feasibility, and realistic implementation. This open‑concept approach aims to foster innovative, socially and ecologically oriented proposals rather than merely meeting preset technical specs.
Municipal Support Mechanisms
Freiburg’s administration created a dedicated “Kleineschholz Project Group” and organized a workshop series for collaborative housing organisations. The city provides the Pavilion for All as a neutral meeting space, offers technical assistance, and coordinates with the municipal housing cooperation (Freiburger Stadtbau GmbH) and the federal land agency. However, the municipality does not fund the pavilion directly, and some stakeholders note limited flexibility in areas such as the mandatory district‑heating system.
Findings on Enablers and Barriers
Enablers:
- Public land ownership enabling concept‑based allocation.
- Substantial financial grants buffering high construction costs and interest rates.
- Strong pre‑existing collaborative housing network (e.g., Mietshäuser Syndikat). Barriers:
- Financial constraints for smaller organisations, especially regarding upfront planning costs.
- Rigid specifications in the energy concept and detailed development plan limiting design freedom.
- Potential exclusivity due to established groups’ dominance in knowledge and resources.
Conclusions and Transferability
The Kleineschholz case demonstrates that municipalities can steer large‑scale, common‑good housing through open tendering, targeted subsidies, and close stakeholder dialogue. While the project serves as a “lighthouse” for collaborative housing, its replication depends on public land availability, sufficient municipal capacity, and a vibrant civil‑society housing sector. The authors caution that scaling to larger developments (e.g., Freiburg’s Dietenbach) may require different governance models, as profit‑oriented actors become more prevalent.