Leipzigs whether Jung is fighting: 600 new apartments in danger!

Leipzigs whether Jung is fighting: 600 new apartments in danger!

Johannisallee, 04103 Leipzig, Deutschland - The discussion about housing in Leipzig reaches new heights. In April, the minority government of the CDU and SPD brought its draft for the double budget 2025/26 into the state parliament. However, the decision of the budget, which is planned for June, is on the brink. Voices for a majority are currently missing, which significantly affects the plans for the urgently needed living space in the city. Leipzig's Mayor Burkhard Jung is angered and demands a rapid farewell to the state budget to advance the construction projects, including more than 200 new apartments in the Johannisallee in the Center Südost.

The Leipzig Wohnungs- und Baugesellschaft (LWB) has ambitious plans for the coming years. A total of 700 new apartments are to be built in 2024/25, with many of them being intended as social housing. 600 new apartments are already being planned for the coming year. It is crucial here that the LWB continues to receive funding from the Free State of Saxony. Without these funds, those responsible see the realization of their projects at risk. Especially as part of the "Tied rental living room" program, 104 social housing are planned in the Center Südost by 2027.

growing challenges in social housing

A look at developments in social housing in Saxony shows alarming trends. The need for social housing is enormous: 3,450 apartments are estimated for Leipzig. In 2024, however, only 315 social housing in all of Saxony were created, a decline, which is partially attributed to increased construction costs and insufficient funding. In 2024, 54 million euros in the budget for social housing remained unused, which causes the demands to increase the funding to be loud. DIE LINKE has already called for an offensive for social housing to improve the inadequate figures.

The LWB bought the former Siemens building on Schützenstrasse, where new apartments and commercial space are to be built after a renovation. Managing Director Kai Tonne emphasizes that stable framework conditions and a reliable funding setting for new construction projects are essential. Jung warns that the construction starts in Leipzig could be delayed without a secure state budget, which makes the already difficult search for affordable living space more difficult.

The challenges in social housing are not only shown in Leipzig, but also affect other cities in Saxony, such as Dresden, where a need for 10,000 social housing is recorded per year. Despite the urgency, the options for action are limited by bureaucratic hurdles and inadequate financial resources, which makes the situation precarious for many seekers.