Public Policies on Middle-Class Mass Housing in Europe

Abstract

German housing policy over the past 100 years has been following housing policy trends similar to most European countries: (1) regulating minimum standards of housing, (2) private sector rent control, (3) provision of social rental housing and (4) subsequent shifts in emphasis towards housing quality and individual subsidies. In Germany (similar to Austria, Denmark and France), there has been less market displacement, and large private rented sectors have been retained. Public expenditure on housing policy typically lies in the range 1-2 % of GDP. (European Parliament, 1996) As noted by Treanor (2015, 55), 75% of households with the bottom quartile of income live in rented accommodation, but so do 45% of those in the highest quartile. Germany has one of the lowest homeownership rates in Europe.