Simon Kempf, Managing Director, Periscope Development on the election in Berlin
"Berlin urgently needs more apartments - but the Ilsekiez shows how quickly housing construction can become a plaything of political symbolism. The state-owned HOWOGE wanted to build eleven residential buildings with a total of 237 apartments there. Now, according to the decision of the district office, only two buildings on the edge of the area are likely to be considered; for nine houses, the permits will not be extended. This is not a signal for more housing construction, but for more political and planning uncertainty. Anyone who wants to take on government responsibility in Berlin must therefore show that they are not only talking about socialization, but also actually enabling and building apartments. Anyone who withdraws concrete new construction projects in view of the housing shortage sends a fatal signal to the many people looking for housing in Berlin - and at the same time to investors and the entire construction industry. Berlin cannot afford a policy of delaying and preventing."
