Housing policy and forms of housing tenure in Austria and the unique social housing system of Vienna
Housing policy and forms of housing tenure in Austria and the unique social housing system of Vienna

Summary/Abstract: Vienna has a unique social housing system, as 75% of its housing stock is social housing. This paper describes why and in which context the system was created. We start our analyses at the end of World War I, which laid the foundation for the system, and briefly explain how it has evolved to the present. We give some examples of how it works, i.e., what the rental options are and who can access them. Finally, we briefly compare it with the social housing system in Warsaw. Even though Warsaw, as also whole Poland, had a socialist government from 1945 to 1989, we find that nowadays the social housing system is underdeveloped and insufficient large. We conclude that although it is tempting to try to emulate the Viennese system in other cities, today’s social and economic conditions and governments across Europe have changed so much that it is unlikely that such a system would be invented and implemented today. Vienna should maintain the housing system but, would probably not develop it newly from the scratch if it were not already implemented.

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