Creating Appropriate Living Space and Affordable Rents
Objectives, Measures and Indicators
Description of objective
Implementation of new construction measures
Description of measures
Expansion of development measures (see chapters Environmental Protection in Connection With Conversions and New Construction Measures and AR 2019, Portfolio in the Development Business)
- Newly built apartments: 1,220 (2,092 Group-wide), 870 of which were built for the company’s own portfolio (1,301 Group-wide)
Implementation of serial/modular construction, densification and vertical expansion, also in existing locations
- Reduction in construction costs and construction times while maintaining high quality standards
- Ensuring affordable housing
- Reducing noise pollution and dirt that the residents are exposed to
More than 1,200
new apartments
completed in 2019
Achieving economies of scale
- To reduce costs when purchasing services and materials
- For standardized processes and materials used (construction measures, property management)
Implementation of participation measures (see chapter Community Development)
- Involvement of tenants and other stakeholders in the planning of new construction measures or vertical expansion measures
- Talks with local advisory boards and tenant representatives
- Organization of regular information events
- Use of mediators where appropriate
Description of objective
Rental of affordable housing to broad sections of the population
Description of measures
Ensuring moderate and socially acceptable rent development
- Monthly in-place rent for the rented (living) space: € 6.79/m2
Rental to broad sections of the population
- Around 33,600 new rentals
- New customers from 140 countries
- 35% of apartments rented out to people with migration backgrounds
- 10% of new customers are students
Commitment to avoiding speculation involving land earmarked for construction
€ 6.79/m2 Average monthly in-place rent
Description of objective
Continuation of voluntary commitments in place to protect tenants’ existing rights
Description of measures
Implementation of the voluntary commitment to cap the costs of modernization measures that can be passed on to tenants
- Commitment not to conduct modernization work that would add more than € 2 per month to the tenant’s basic rent per square meter
- Individual review of hardship cases
Implementation of individual and voluntary commitments (subsidized housing) for existing buildings in cooperation with city and municipal authorities
- Protection for vulnerable tenant groups: older senior citizens, low-income households/families that have no legal entitlement to publicly subsidized housing, people with lower chances of success in the housing market, migrants and refugees
Implementation of uniform nationwide hardship management (see chapter Customer Satisfaction)
Implementation of over 70s arrangement: guaranteeing affordable housing for tenants aged over 70
- Guarantee that apartments will remain affordable even if the standard local comparative rent changes
- 315 requests processed
- Positive decision for 176 customers – rent increases not implemented
315 over-70 requests processed Help for 176 customers
Description of objective
Provision of housing for those in need
Description of measures
Cooperation with federal states and municipalities to accommodate vulnerable individuals
- Participation in the “Endlich ein Zuhause” (A home at last) initiative in North Rhine-Westphalia to combat homelessness
- Participation in the “Essener Standard für unterstütztes Wohnen” (Essen standard for supported housing), to provide disadvantaged people with permanent housing
- Provision of 400 apartments for refugees in Dresden
- Support for the Berlin homeless center (“Haus Strohhalm”)
Specific measures
- Cooperation with the city of Osnabrück to support the Frauenhaus Osnabrück women’s refuge
- Cooperation with the protestant “Lichtblick” foundation (Frankfurt am Main) to help find homes for people who find it difficult to find accommodation
- Donation to the Ingrid Ritter foundation for two mother and child shelters