ggw GmbH is the municipal housing company of Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Founded on 8 May 1950 as the Gelsenkirchener Gemeinnützige Wohnungsbaugesellschaft mbH, it adopted its current company name in December 2023; its stated purpose remains providing secure, socially oriented housing for broad sections of the city’s population.1011
The company is wholly owned by the City of Gelsenkirchen and focuses its housing activities on that city.1 It is one of Gelsenkirchen’s largest landlords, with nearly 5,000 rental homes distributed across the city, from individual houses to larger residential estates and neighbourhoods.1 The company says its offer includes different dwelling types and price ranges, and lists 550 homes as barrier-free.1
ggw’s work extends beyond letting homes. It maintains and modernises its housing stock, including measures related to accessibility, and develops new housing and neighbourhoods.113 It also provides tenant services such as repair support, options to exchange homes, and social-management advice on neighbour disputes, payment difficulties and housing-related administrative problems.1 The company’s wider municipal projects include building social infrastructure: in 2025, it completed and handed over a new primary school to the city.13
Harald Förster is identified as the company’s managing director in its legal notice and in recent company announcements.1412 Its main office is at Darler Heide 100, 45891 Gelsenkirchen.114 The company’s reported geographic scope is local: its housing and stated public-service purpose centre on Gelsenkirchen.111