The Committee on Building, Housing, Urban Development and Local Government 2 “Housing, building and urban devel- opment are issues which invariably have social, cultural, economic and environmental implications. The Bundestag has set up a dedicated committee for these issues again for the first time since 1998. We focus on the interests of both rural and urban communities. Equivalent living con- ditions and vibrant towns and cities: these are the aims which the Com- mittee will be working to achieve in this electoral term. We deal with topics such as affordable housing, support for property ownership, measures to facilitate the bringing forward of land for development, cutting red tape, and the approach which should be taken with regard to the existing fabric of old buildings.” Mechthild Heil, CDU/CSU Chairwoman of the Committee on Building, Housing, Urban Development and Local Government 3 The German Bundestag’s decisions are prepared by its committees, which are estab- lished at the start of each elec- toral term. Four of them are stipulated by the Basic Law, the German constitution: the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Defence Committee, the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union and the Petitions Committee. The Budget Committee and the Committee for the Rules of Procedure are also required by law. The spheres of respon- sibility of the committees essentially reflect the Federal Government’s distribution of ministerial portfolios. This enables Parliament to scruti- nise the government’s work effectively. The Bundestag committees The German Bundestag sets political priorities of its own by establishing additional committees for specific sub- jects, such as sport, cultural affairs or tourism. In addition, special bodies such as parlia- mentary advisory councils, The committees discuss and committees of inquiry or deliberate on items referred study commissions can also to them by the plenary. They be established. The commit- also have the right to take up tees are composed of mem- issues on their own initiative, bers of all the parliamentary allowing them to set priorities groups, reflecting the balance in the parliamentary debate. of these groups in the German When necessary, they draw Bundestag. The distribution on external expertise – usu- of the chairs and deputy ally by holding public hear- chairs among the parliamen- ings. At the end of a commit- tary groups also reflects their tee’s deliberations, a majority relative strengths in the ple- of its members adopt a rec om- nary. In the current electoral mendation for a decision and term, the committees have a report, which serve as the between nine and 49 mem- basis for the plenary’s deci- bers. sion. 5 How can we ensure that suf- ficient housing is available in cities and densely populated areas? And how do we make sure that rents remain afford- able for people on low and medium incomes? Against the backdrop of the ongoing digital revolution, our ageing society and the challenges facing us in terms of climate policy, what should the city of the future look like? What action should we take to ensure that rural areas retain their appeal? How can we achieve strong and effective local gov- ernment? The Committee on Building, Housing, Urban Development and Local Government Since April 2018, the 24 mem- bers of the Committee, chaired by Mechthild Heil (CDU/CSU), For several years, there has have been grappling with these been a resurgence in public key issues for the future – and interest in the issues of build- often working together with ing and housing. The chal- other Bundestag committees. lenges in these fields vary Building, housing, urban de- considerably. While some velopment and local govern- municipalities are having to ment are, after all, cross-cut- deal with a shrinking popu- ting issues which also touch lation and vacant properties, on the remits of the commit- the focus in densely popu- tees responsible for the envi- lated areas is on creating ronment, transport or internal new and, above all, affordable affairs, for example. Particu- housing. Then there is the need larly when it comes to the sub- to take action in relation to ject of local government, how- demographic change and cli- ever, the Committee’s tasks mate change. All of these chal- include close cooperation with lenges can only be addressed the Länder (federal states) and by the federal level, the Län- with towns and municipalities. der and local governments 9 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CDU/CSU 5 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ SPD 3 ■ ■ ■ AfD 3 ■ ■ ■ FDP 2 ■ ■ The Left Party 2 ■ ■ Alliance 90/The Greens Number of members: 24 Chairwoman: Mechthild Heil, CDU/CSU Deputy Chairman: Volkmar Vogel, CDU/CSU 7 working together. What is clear is that still more housing needs to be created in areas where there will be housing shortages in the foreseeable future. The Federal Govern- ment currently estimates that home ownership must also be around 350,000 new proper- discussed, such as support for ties will need to be built each saving for building purposes, year over the period to 2020. the inclusion of home owner- Discussing and proposing ship in retirement savings solutions in this context is subsidy schemes, building- one of the Committee’s tasks. related child benefit, the pro- A key question is how to facil- grammes run by Kreditanstalt itate the bringing forward of für Wiederaufbau (KfW), or new land for development designing the real property and how to achieve targeted transfer tax in such a way that infill development. The vari- it supports potential house- ous instruments to support builders. 8 also be considered more in future. The number of older people in Germany will con- tinue to rise over the coming But the Committee is not decades. Studies suggest that focusing solely on home in 2030 around 30 per cent owners in the current elec- of the population will be over toral term. More than half of the age of 65. Almost three the German population lives million homes that meet the in rented accommodation. needs of the elderly will be Particularly in densely popu- required by that date. At the lated areas, demand for hous- same time, the stock of social ing is high. This is also true housing is continuing to of rising demand for social shrink as rent control and housing and the need for restricted allocation require- accommodation for students ments expire. The Committee and people on low incomes. will therefore be examining The interests of other groups, an amendment of the Basic such as people with disabili- Law designed to enable the ties or senior citizens, must Federation to continue to 9 Improving the energy effi- ciency of buildings is an important issue in this electoral term. The Federal Government has set itself the aim of achieving a nearly climate- neutral building stock by 2050. Major efforts are needed if this target is to be met. KfW programmes to foster energy-efficient new buildings and upgrades to grant the Länder financial existing buildings are just assistance for the constrution one element of this. When it of social housing. There will comes to energy efficiency, also be discussions on whether the Committee will also have tax incentives should be intro- the task of ensuring that a duced for the construction of balance is struck between low-rent housing, and on how climate protection and ensur- the rent-rise cap or support ing that housing remains for cooperatives can be suc- affordable, which is also an cessfully developed further. important aim. 10 These housing-policy objec- tives can only be achieved by working in partnership with the construction industry, boosting productivity by a traditionally large sector making greater use of digital with more than two million technologies in planning workers, because construction and construction processes, requires specific capacities. or the possibility of updating The issues dealt with by the and streamlining planning Committee in this context and consent procedures. include, for example, greater As the Federation is itself use of mass production in responsible for major con- housing, without compromis- struction projects, it is also ing high standards in the affected by developments in design of buildings. Other these areas and must respond areas for fine-tuning include to them in future. 11 People want towns and rural areas which are worth living in. Only successful urban development policy and urban development assistance can enable towns and communi- ties to maintain their appeal and offer their residents a high quality of life. In this Where are changes needed, context, a range of assistance in this context, and where do programmes exist, for example we need to shift course? The to carry out urban develop- Committee will be examining ment adaptation processes these issues, as well as the required as a result of demo- question of what the city of graphic and economic change, the future should look like. to improve the situation in One key concept is that of the disadvantaged neighbour- “smart city”, which involves hoods, to preserve historic using the opportunities of town centres, to safeguard digitalisation and growing lively inner- city areas, to pro- interconnectedness to make mote urban green spaces or cities more sustainable, greener, to strengthen smaller towns cleaner and more efficient, or and communities. in other words: more liveable. 12 The only way to counter rural- urban migration and the emer- gence of left-behind regions is for local governments to be able to offer their residents Local government is an issue good public services, such as which is closely related to good child day care centres building, housing and urban and schools, reliable transport development. Key topics and utility infrastructures, in this context include local affordable housing, high-speed governments’ financial re- internet, and appealing cultural sources and steps to empower and social facilities.