The real estate industry in Germany expects a short-term need for hundreds of thousands of apartments for war refugees from Ukraine. This is according to an analysis presented Tuesday in Berlin by the umbrella organization Zentraler Immobilien-Ausschuss (ZIA). According to the analysis, in the best case scenario, the number of refugees from the war-torn country could reach at least 310,000 people, which would correspond to 120,000 additional housing units.
In the medium scenario, Germany would have to prepare to receive around 810,000 refugees and a need for 310,000 housing units, the Empirica research institute calculated on behalf of the ZIA. In the maximum scenario, up to 1.29 million people from Ukraine and 500,000 additional housing units would arrive.
The association stresses that almost half of the housing demand would have to be met by new construction. For comparison: in the coalition agreement, the federal government set a target of building 400 thousand new housing units per year – significantly more than the number of units delivered in 2020 (a good 306 thousand). However, the possible need for new construction due to the war in Ukraine is basically manageable, Empirica estimates.
It can be assumed that refugees from Ukraine have a relatively high level of education and that there is a high employment rate among women, ZIA reports. This should facilitate integration into the labor market, but also lead to a search for housing.
The association reiterated its call for a summit on refugees with the participation of federal, state and local authorities, as well as the business community and aid organizations. Sufficient opportunities should be created as soon as possible for people who have fled Ukraine,” – ZIA President Andreas Mattner said.
source: www.welt.de, www.insidegermany.co