BWSG – Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft, headquartered in Vienna, is one of Austria’s oldest and most established non-profit housing providers. Founded in 1911 by Josef Grüll, a trade unionist and railway inspector, BWSG initially focused on providing small, affordable apartments for railway workers and low-income families. Its first housing units were occupied in 1914 in Vienna’s fifth district at Margaretengürtel and Gassergasse, and in Mödling. Building activities expanded quickly to other urban centers with the highest need for housing.
Today, BWSG manages approximately 450 residential complexes with around 23,000 apartments nationwide. Nearly 70 percent of these units are subsidized, highlighting BWSG's ongoing commitment to affordable living for broad sections of the population. The organization operates not just in Vienna, but also from regional offices in Graz, Innsbruck, and St. Pölten.
Recent years have seen BWSG involved in both refurbishment and new-build projects. Notable among recent developments is the acquisition of Viarosa Wohnpark GmbH and the launch of new housing complexes in Lower Austria. BWSG also works with external construction and service partners on maintenance and modernization, as documented by partnerships in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland.
Distinct from municipal housing, BWSG belongs to Austria's system of limited-profit housing associations, which are strictly regulated to ensure affordable rents and reinvestment of any surplus. Over more than a century, the company has contributed significantly to Vienna and Austria's reputation for stable, accessible, and high-quality housing.