Germany Introduces New Support Program. Life in Germany. Germany is introducing a new support plan to encourage people to move out of the city. Those interested can receive up to 10,000 euros. The goal is to address the housing shortage in big cities by filling empty houses in small towns. Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz presented the conditions for receiving this money as part of the “welcome package.”
Money for Moving: Receive Up to 10,000 Euros
Many people move from small towns to big cities for better job opportunities, services, and cultural events. However, German cities face a housing shortage and high rents. To address this, Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz wants to encourage people to move to small towns by offering up to 10,000 euros to those willing to settle in rural areas.
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According to the German government, nearly 2 million houses in the countryside are empty, as reported by zeit.de. Minister Geywitz aims to make use of these vacant homes. However, moving to rural areas presents challenges, especially for families with children, due to limited childcare options and the need for both parents to work. Even with family support, this issue remains significant. Offering a financial bonus for moving could be a solution. Minister Geywitz announced plans to present a package of measures by November to make rural living more appealing. Japan has implemented a similar incentive, offering financial support for each child moving to rural areas.
Direct financial incentives, such as the proposed 10,000 euros, may attract more people to the countryside.
Rental prices in Germany
More than half of the people in Germany rent their homes, but in popular districts, there aren’t enough apartments available to meet the demand. This shortage has been increasing for years, particularly in large cities and university towns. As a result, rent prices have risen sharply. In Potsdam, for example, rent prices for new apartments increased by 31.2% in one year. Berlin saw a similar trend, with a 26.7% rise in rent prices. This information comes from the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR).
The Berlin Tenants’ Association conducted a study revealing that one-third of Berlin households can no longer afford apartments on the open market. Additionally, more than half of Berlin households have such low incomes that they qualify for state aid in the form of social housing.