Willingness to talk to the housing investment bank
Vienna (PK) – In addition to the rent cap, the Building Committee several demands from the opposition, all of which were postponed. In it, the SPÖ advocated the reintroduction of the housing investment bank. In addition, the SPÖ and FPÖ insisted on clarifications in the Non-Profit Housing Act (WGG). The NEOS wanted to create a federal spatial planning framework law and called for tenants to tolerate changes to the heating system.
Reintroduction of the housing investment bank – ÖVP and Greens appear ready to talk
The SPÖ’s demand for the reintroduction of the Housing Investment Bank (WBIB) was once again postponed in the Buildings Committee (3094/A(E)). In view of rising interest rates, housing cooperatives would have to pass on the currently high interest rates directly to their tenants. With fixed interest rates from the WBIB, this could be prevented and rents remain affordable, argued Andreas Kollross (SPÖ). In the area of the Non-Profit Housing Act, Kollross emphasized that caps can only be limited to a limited extent, with a view to the rent cap, but the area can be promoted and thus ensure stable financing of the market.
Nina Tomaselli (Greens) considered the WBIB to be an adequate means of ensuring affordable housing. She was willing to discuss their implementation. There were reasons that spoke against the WBIB, said Joachim Schnabel (ÖVP) and pointed out the possibility of the federal states to obtain funds from the European Investment Bank and pass them on. In principle, he also showed himself willing to talk to the SPÖ.
The opposition is campaigning for clarifications in the WGG
A number of opposition demands for clarifications in the WGG were also postponed. The SPÖ had, for example, called for legal clarification that the package sale of more than one apartment should constitute an exceptional transaction that requires approval. In addition, it should be regulated that these apartments may only be used for personal use (3259/A).
The FPÖ saw it similarly, calling for a ban on investor apartments in housing cooperatives. Investors could buy cooperative apartments at a social rate and then rent them out freely, criticized Philipp Schrangl (FPÖ). The FPÖ therefore insisted that investor or retirement apartments may only be sold by non-profit building associations in the area of exceptional business (3553/A(E)). Schrangl further criticized non-profit apartments that are sold by building associations, which are currently subject to free rent formation. The Freedom Party therefore demanded that the apartments transferred by way of immediate purchase or purchase option can only be rented out in the future at the respective guide value without surcharges but with discounts (3458/A(E)). Schrangl once again identified “significant legal deficiencies” in the amendment to the Non-Profit Housing Act 2022 (3339/A(E)). It should be made clear that investor or retirement apartments can never be part of the tax-privileged segment of the business circle of non-profit building associations.
Due to the existing legal uncertainty, Maximilian Lercher (SPÖ) feared problems and called for more details. From the point of view of Johannes Margreiter (NEOS), the WGG amendment requires legal clarification in order to avoid housing speculation. Schrangl said that the explanations for the WGG amendment had created an uncertain legal situation. Free rentability cannot be the meaning of the non-profit principle.
Johann Singer (ÖVP), in contrast, explained that such transactions require approval. The state supervisory authorities can only approve these if the sales price corresponds to the market value, he noted. There should be “no sales at the social rate”. In addition, appropriate countermeasures have been taken in practice. He therefore saw no need for legal changes and submitted the motion to postpone. Should these become necessary, he was prepared to make changes. Nina Tomaselli (Greens) argued similarly. Package sales always require approval, she emphasized. In contrast, Schrangl considered market value to be a flexible term. Legal loopholes would also be used, he emphasized.
FPÖ called for nationwide interest subsidies for building homes
In order to make it possible to build a home, FPÖ building spokesman Philipp Schrangl called for a motion for a resolution to implement a model developed in Upper Austria to subsidize loan interest nationwide (3642/A(E)). Specifically, the Upper Austrian model provides for loans with a term of 35 years and a 20-year fixed interest rate of 4.20%, said Schrangl. Andrea Holzner (ÖVP) confirmed that Upper Austria wants to create affordable housing for young families. A family with two children can borrow up to €100,000 using this instrument. However, Nina Tomaselli (Greens) made the motion to postpone. She explained that the negotiations on financial equalization had been completed.
NEOS called for measures to combat land consumption and to tolerate changes to the heating system
In order to stop land consumption and urban sprawl, to make sufficient land available for subsidized or non-profit housing and to advance the energy transition, the NEOS spoke in favor of a federal spatial planning framework law, including constitutional protection of the federal government’s spatial planning framework competence and a federal strategy for land management Spatial planning from (3402/A(E)). Manfred Hofinger (ÖVP) agreed that high land consumption must be stopped in order to ensure food supplies and protect the climate. From his point of view, federal authority makes no sense, as relevant decisions have to be made locally. Hofinger emphasized the states’ efforts to promote the use of vacant properties.
Finally, a motion for a resolution by NEOS was postponed again, according to which tenants should no longer be able to block the exit from fossil heating systems. This requires a change in the toleration requirements in the Tenancy Law, which currently does not cover the conversion of the heating system, Johannes Margreiter (NEOS) showed that there is a need for amendment (1303/A(E)). Joachim Schnabel (ÖVP), however, referred to the Renewable Heat Act and submitted the request for a postponement. (Final building committee) gla
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