The Österreichische Volkswohnungswerk Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft m.b.H. (ÖVW), based in Vienna, is a non-profit housing company with roots tracing back to early Austrian social welfare efforts. Emerging out of 19th-century charitable foundations formed to address urban squalor, the organisation’s historical mission remains consistent: providing affordable, decent housing for broad sections of the population, irrespective of income.
Legally defined as a non-profit under the Austrian Limited-Profit Housing Act (Wohnungsgemeinnützigkeitsgesetz, WGG), ÖVW’s operations are governed by strict requirements for social benefit, cost-covering rents, and reinvestment of surpluses in further housing projects. It is a member of the Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations. The company manages and develops both rental and ownership housing, spanning a variety of sizes and locations, and maintains ongoing collaborations with Vienna-based housing cooperatives.
In recent years, ÖVW has engaged in significant urban development projects. Among these, its participation in new residential complexes, modernisation of historic buildings, and the creation of mixed-use properties are notable. For example, the organisation has played a role in Vienna’s large-scale projects like Nordbahnhof and contributed to the renovation and expansion of Gründerzeit-era buildings in prime city locations. As of the mid-2020s, ÖVW continues to add to Vienna’s affordable housing supply, adapting its portfolio to changing demographic, economic, and ecological needs, without departing from its founding goal: ensuring secure, modern housing at sustainable rents for a diverse urban population.