Open Call - Housing&Planning: Reactions
The examples featured here are responses to our OPEN CALL. They are not intended to showcase the most prominent or successful cases, but to share ideas, raise questions and highlight different ways of addressing housing challenges.
We hope these contributions inspire others to join the discussion and submit their own examples. Together, they can help build a diverse collection of experiences at the intersection of housing and planning.
Can Berlin’s housing socialisation improve housing affordability?
Berlin is at the centre of a major housing debate concerning the potential transfer of large private housing into public or socially oriented ownership. The initiative, led by Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen, argues that housing should be managed in the public interest and prioritise long-term affordability over profit. The proposal could affect approximately 220,000 dwellings owned by large housing companies.
A key milestone was reached in March 2026, when the Berlin House of Representatives adopted a framework law on socialisation. Established at the state (Länder) level of governance, the law creates a legal framework for the potential transfer of assets into public ownership under Article 15 of Germany's Basic Law. While the legislation does not itself socialise any housing stock, it sets out the conditions under which such measures could be implemented through future sector-specific legislation.
The Berlin case is important because it broadens the debate on housing affordability beyond conventional tools such as housing subsidies, rent regulation and new construction. Instead, it raises the question of whether ownership structures themselves can be used as a housing policy instrument. While the initiative is not a spatial planning regulation in the traditional sense, it is linked to planning objectives, particularly the long-term provision of affordable housing and the social composition of neighbourhoods. On the one hand, this as a way to secure long-term affordability, on the other hand the substantial compensation costs involved could be better invested in creating additional housing supply.
For other cities and regions, Berlin's experience shows that housing affordability depends not only on how much housing is built, but also on how it is owned and managed. Although not a direct spatial planning tool, the case highlights how governance and ownership arrangements can influence planning outcomes and should be considered alongside more traditional planning measures.
Example provided by: Prof. Dr. Klaus-Peter Hillebrand