Social Commitment
In addition to forest and environmental protection projects, having a positive influence in social issues is also close to the foundation’s heart. Already before the rental houses became the property of the foundation, we had good relationships to the tenants. There was open and transparent communication between the owner, the property management and the tenants. In addition, appropriate rents led to a stable and long-term tenant base. The foundation’s assets have developed positively due to the booming real estate market. Nevertheless, excessive rents assessed or proceeds were at no time generated through sales. Now that the rental houses are owned by the foundation, the houses are protected from a division of the properties and sale in individual flats is also excluded according to the investment guidelines. Furthermore, tenants are protected from excessive rent increases and evictions. In addition, flats that become available are to be rented predominantly to the following social groups:
- Citizens who have a housing entitlement certificate (WBS = Wohnungsberechtigungsschein)
- Citizens who receive a housing allowance because their income is too low
- Citizens who are at risk of domestic violence
- Single parents in search of affordable housing
- Households with less than 60% of the median income
- Asylum and protection seekers
- 2018: 678,000 homeless people in Germany, number trending upward side then and unrecorded cases make this figure significantly higher
- Renting flats to people in need of help through the Daniel Schlegel Umweltstiftung
- Berlin
Rental Housing Crisis in Germany: Role of the Daniel Schlegel Umweltstiftung
Germany’s major cities are struggling with a housing crisis. Especially affected are people with low incomes, recipients of welfare benefits, recognized refugees, and single parents, as affordable housing and social housing are becoming increasingly scarce. Between 2002 and 2019, 1.2 million social housing units disappeared from the market. The rapidly rising rental prices, excessive regulations and bureaucracy, and the dominance of international fund companies are narrowing the options for average earners and small landlords.
Furthermore, the number of homeless people is increasing. In 2018, about 678,000 people in Germany were without a home, an increase of 4.2% from the previous year. Although the exact number is uncertain, as there are only rough estimates available, the situation is considered alarming. In addition to the lack of housing and high rental prices, homeless people are often stigmatized and excluded from the allocation of housing.
Due to the lack of affordable housing and insufficient action from federal and state governments, the Daniel Schlegel Umweltstiftung aims to alleviate the crisis. It provides rental apartments at moderate prices from its own holdings and collaborates with organizations that offer refuge housing and allocate living spaces to women in violent situations, thus making a positive contribution to the situation.
