What Berlin’s radical vote for social housing says about the global battle for affordable cities

Abstract

In Berlin, rents have more than doubled over the last decade.

The city used to be known as an affordable place to live for, say, an artist. But someone earning an average salary would now have to spend more than 60% of their net income to live in Mitte, one popular neighbourhood.

On Sunday, more than a million voters in the city-backed a radical referendum: The government should, they say, take apartment buildings from large landlords and turn them into public property, so rents can be kept affordable.

The Berlin model should be possible elsewhere, says Frey. “I hope that tenants and organizers can really capitalize on this energy,” she says. “I really hope [this campaign] could be an inspiration to other places, where people maybe feel like, ‘Oh, you can’t change things.

It’s just how capitalism works.’ I don’t think people should let themselves be convinced that you can’t change anything.”