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Draft interim report: Expert commission considers expropriation of housing groups to be possible

2022-12-09T12:33:30.946Z


In a referendum, Berliners voted for the expropriation of large profit-oriented housing groups. Experts are now taking stock in a draft: expropriations could be compatible with the Basic Law.


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Berlin: A commission of experts considers the expropriation of large housing companies to be fundamentally possible

Photo: bildgehege / IMAGO

Around 14 months after a successful referendum in Berlin, a commission of experts set up by the Senate considers expropriation of large housing companies to be possible in principle, but still sees many unanswered questions.

This emerges from a draft for an interim report that became known on Friday through research by the "Berliner Morgenpost".

According to the paper, which is also available to the dpa, the 13-strong committee sees the issue as a legislative competence of the country.

According to the Basic Law, the socialization of land falls under so-called competing legislation.

However, since the federal government has not yet made use of this, the state of Berlin can regulate the socialization of properties itself.

The experts, on the other hand, classify a possible law on the socialization of the housing companies themselves as »constitutionally problematic«.

Results expected by spring

In the referendum on September 26, 2021, a good 59 percent of voters voted for the expropriation of real estate groups with more than 3,000 apartments in Berlin.

The hope of the proponents is that with such a socialization in exchange for compensation, the rise in rents can be stopped or at least slowed down, because then more apartments will be in public hands.

Since April, the expert commission, headed by the former Federal Minister of Justice Herta Däubler-Gmelin (SPD), has been discussing whether and, if so, how the request can be implemented.

The final results of the panel are expected by next spring, on the basis of which the Senate intends to decide how to proceed.

In the paper, the Commission reaffirms the goal of being ready by the end of April 2023.

This applies regardless of the re-election to the House of Representatives on February 12.

According to the Commission paper, many legally and constitutionally complicated detailed questions on the subject of socialization are still open.

There are different assessments within the committee, which mainly consists of lawyers, on a number of points.

It is said that the discussion process has not yet been completed.

The initiative »Deutsche Wohnen & Co expropriate« evaluated the interim results of the expert commission as »the green light for the expropriation of large, profit-oriented real estate groups«.

"The Senate has no more excuses and can no longer hide behind the commission," said spokeswoman Isabella Rogner.

He must now immediately submit a timetable for socialization.

The left, as a supporter of expropriations, also sees itself strengthened: »Best news of the week!

If not of the month! «, Social Senator Katja Kipping (left) tweeted about the interim report.

The Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) pointed out on the RBB Inforadio that this was an interim and not a final report and that a lot was still unclear.

This includes the central question of whether Article 15 of the Basic Law, which allows socialization under certain circumstances, is also applicable in the specific case in Berlin.

A political decision on how to proceed will be made after the final report has been submitted.

The CDU parliamentary group called on Giffey to “draw a line under expropriation fantasies”.

"Berlin's housing problem cannot be solved with expropriations, but with tenant protection and new construction," said the spokesman for construction and housing, Dirk Stettner.

ani/dpa

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2022-12-09

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