Rules for the allocation of housing put to the test

The Free Voters Dynamic want a greater weighting of the work factor, the SPD warns of discrimination and the Greens urge caution: The Planegger municipal council would like to revise the guidelines for the allocation of rental apartments.

Planegg

– It is just 17 months since the new Planegger guidelines for the allocation of rental apartments were passed.

The city council now sees a need for further sharpening.

At its last meeting of the year, it unanimously decided to reconsider the criteria that determine who gets one of the affordable homes.

First of all, the parliamentary groups should make suggestions, which the town hall will then deal with.

Public procurement law for 159 apartments

The municipality of Planegg has the right to award contracts for 159 apartments.

48 belong to her, 111 to the construction company München-Land.

The rent is a maximum of 10 euros per square meter, and less for older properties.

The apartments are in demand.

There are 60 applicants on the list for one to one and a half room apartments, and 20 for two to three room apartments. The same applies to three room apartments.

And for four or more rooms, there are 15 applicants.

The award is based on social aspects and a points system.

Once you have an apartment, you won't move out anytime soon.

On average, there are ten to twelve changes of residence each year.

The applicants are written to and, if they are interested, have to fill out a questionnaire again because, for example, their marital status may have changed.

The municipality records a response of about one third to its offers.

When the municipal council dealt intensively with the guidelines in 2021, the main concern was to prevent unauthorized persons from fraudulently obtaining a rental contract by providing false information.

The income limits, which may be exceeded by a maximum of 60 percent, have also been adjusted significantly upwards.

It is now 23,000 euros net per year for a one-person household and 59,000 euros net for five people.

The Free Voters Dynamics (FWD) took up the guidelines again this fall and called for them to be revised.

“The housing situation in Planegg is rapidly deteriorating – also due to the rise in energy prices.

Many people who have been rooted in the community for years can no longer afford housing in the community area, and young families cannot find affordable housing," the application says.

The guidelines should be drafted “so that people who work here and start a family also have a chance at community housing”.

“Scope for selective changes”

The municipal administration now has one and a half years of experience with the new regulation, according to Managing Director Stefan Schaudig.

“We see scope for selective changes.

But we won't be able to give everyone an apartment that we want to give one to.” He suggested reconsidering the weighting of the points.

There are around ten points for a single parent with a child up to the age of 16, and every child living in the applicant's household up to the age of 25 is also taken into account.

The older, the fewer points there are.

"We noticed that those who actually work in Planegg get almost no points," said Florian Zeller (FWD).

"The nurse, who has lived here for 25 years, works in Starnberg and raised two children who are now out of the house, falls completely through the cracks." The topic of work is not valued enough.

Peter von Schall-Riaucour (PP&M) recalled that his group had initiated the revision of the guidelines with a motion at the end of 2020.

"More needs to be done for fellow citizens who have lived here for a long time, for young families, but without neglecting the needs of foreign fellow citizens."

Fritz Haugg (FDP) welcomed the advance of the FWD.

"It's very good that we're looking again at how we can be as fair as possible." Roman Brugger (SPD) explained: "I don't want the local people to be played off against each other." His parliamentary colleague Felix Kempf also warned of discrimination .

He said: “Tweaking the Articles of Association is a crutch.

We need more apartments.” And further: “I'm afraid that you have certain images in your head of who you want to support and who you don't.

I would like to warn against pouring such ideas into guidelines.” He received support from Judith Grimme (Greens): “I totally agree with Mr. Kempf that you have to do it with tact.”