German Housing Minister Verena Hubertz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has rejected criticism from the Union that expanding the rent brake would exacerbate the housing shortage. In an interview with RTL and ntv, Hubertz said, “It doesn’t lead to fewer new constructions.”
The SPD politician emphasized that the rent brake does not apply to new buildings in the first place. She noted, “The SPD had proposed moving the target year forward from 2014 to 2019, but the Union did not agree. Now, the ball is in Parliament and we will see where we can find common ground.” Hubertz expressed optimism, saying, “Democracy is about achieving the possible. We will find a good way together.”
The minister acknowledged the Union’s point that investors expect a certain level of planning security. “We must create incentives so that people invest again” she said. “But the rent brake is being overemphasized in this context, in my opinion.” Hubertz believed the real issue is the broader framework and creating good incentives, rather than the rent brake itself, which she does not see as the problem for absent investments.