The Vienna SPÖ now wants to counter the exploding housing costs with a support package worth millions: according to the Vienna “energy bonus” model, a “housing bonus” must be paid in the summer, while tenants in communal housing benefit from many other measures.
The Vienna SPÖ has made “affordable housing” the central theme at its club meeting in the St. Martins-Therme in Burgenland: from the summer, millions of subsidies for housing costs will be distributed. Housing councilor Kathrin Gaal justifies the use of individual grants, bonuses and compensation payments by saying that valorisation of rents is “clearly a matter for the federal government”, but that the federal government is “completely neglecting housing policy”.
The “Energy Bonus” model is allocated to residential properties
Regardless of whether you are a renter or owner of an apartment, anyone who was also entitled to the “Vienna Energy Bonus” should receive the “Vienna Housing Bonus” between June and July – just like the energy bonus, a one-off payment of 200 euros. The processing must also be done like the energy bonus – with a personal letter. The city of Vienna explains that you must reapply and with updated income data saying that many people have fallen below the income limits over the years. The city expects a cost item of 130 million euros.
Tenants of municipal buildings benefit twice
Presenting the measures, Gaal stressed that Vienna “does not want isolated solutions that disadvantage certain groups of people in the country”. Nevertheless – in addition to the “housing bonus” – there should be numerous other support measures for tenants of municipal buildings: an extra allowance of half a month’s rent, relaxation of any necessary installment payments, extra budget resources for tenants with low incomes – but above all a balance to rent increases.
Target group: people with a low income
Not specified “additional budget resourcesis also given to MA 40, which is responsible for social affairs, to support the lowest income tenants. In general, the SPÖ justifies the design of the measures by wanting to support especially low-income people, as they are disproportionately affected by inflation.
Mayor Michael Ludwig stressed that despite the “already dense network of support measures”, “no one in Vienna is left alone”. Life in Vienna must “remain affordable”.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
