Thread

1. expedition32 · 1789971086 · focus · HN ↗

   After WW2 all European countries had massive housing shortages. It was not capitalism that solved it but heavy government involvement. In a span a few decades millions of people were re-housed. The free market is remarkably terrible at pumping out houses fast.

   1. bluegatty · 1789972633 · focus · HN ↗

      Germany doe not have a housing shortage problem, it's another set of problems. (Edit: these are economic problems, productivity, bureaucracy, and all sorts of other things showing up as housing problems)

      They will have to wail until after WW3 because Russia is openly threatening action, European governments are trying to prepare their citizens, German populists want to return to 'normal relations' with Russia, which means 'use our money to invade and kill everyone to the East of us, just not us'.

      Germany and Europe is in for a very rough ride.

      Were it not for the war situation, then we could say this is 'healthy political turmoil' - but this is at a time when outside parties will take advantage of European disunity.

      1. cedilla · 1789973316 · focus · HN ↗

         Berlin has a massive shortage. Vacancy rates are at about 1.5%. Functioning housing markets are at about 3%.

         1. bluegatty · 1789974865 · focus · HN ↗

            It's wrong to suggest that vacancy rates are are necessarily sign of housing dysfunction.

            Areas that are attractive to live always have low vacancy rates, because there's a reason that people want to live there.

            The assumption that 'as many people ought to be able to live in a neighbourhood as should want to live there' - implied by the 'vacancy rate' issue just means 'every attractive area turns into Hong Kong'.

            While there can be very good reason for more building as well - socialized housing is almost never the answer to that. It has a role in some situations, but generally not on the aggregate like that.

            Usually this will have to do with permits, regulation - and frankly workers. Nobody wants to do the kind of labour necessary to build homes, and it's extremely hard to find workers to do that kind of work, which to anyone paying the least bit of attention should be a pretty big paradox.

            'City overflowing with people who want homes to live don't want to make homes in which to live'

            Probably there's a lot of bureaucracy to clean out and that's a good place to start.

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