Linz (OTS) – In mid-April, the National Council decided to transfer the vacancy tax to the responsibility of the federal states. This means that the state of Upper Austria now has the opportunity to introduce a tax for vacant rental properties. “The additional funds could be used to create more affordable housing
“, says AK President Andreas Stangl and calls for speed in implementation.
According to Statistics Austria, around 92,000 apartments are empty in Upper Austria. Every empty apartment that is not available on the housing market reduces supply and thus harms people who are looking for affordable housing. According to data from the AK Housing Satisfaction Index, seven out of ten respondents in Upper Austria currently state that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find a financially suitable rental apartment. And: Around 52,000 households in Upper Austria have registered a need for subsidized housing – an increase of six percent compared to last year. This is shown by a query response from the state parliament.
The situation on the rental market is therefore tense. “On the one hand, thousands of people are looking for affordable housing, but on the other hand, thousands of apartments are empty. A quick and fair vacancy tax can be used to intervene here
“, says AK President Andreas Stangl.
One thing is clear: subsidized non-profit housing is a strong tool for affordable housing that needs to be expanded. The revenue from the vacancy levy could be used to channel additional funds into subsidized housing.
Questions & Contact:
Chamber of Labor Upper Austria
Mag. Gregor Kraftschik
0506906-2480
kraftschik.g@akooe.at