Student unions: The housing shortage makes people inventive

Students should not count on a place in a student union dormitory for the winter semester. Demand significantly exceeds supply, and waiting lists in Hesse, and especially in the Rhine-Main area, are long even before the semester begins. At the end of June, more than 3,000 students were on the waiting list at the Darmstadt student union, around 2,500 in Frankfurt, and approximately 1,400 in Mainz.

"We have to find a way to create housing at short notice," says Gero Lottermann, Managing Director of the Giessen Student Union. At the end of June, the organization already had 1,800 applicants for the fall. To support students in their search for private housing , a digital housing exchange is being set up. The Student Union has also taken an unusual approach for the Friedberg location: It plans to rent apartments itself for the coming semester and then sublet them to students of the Technical University of Central Hesse (THM).

That's why the student union has been looking for apartments for a month, including those suitable for shared accommodation. As a contractual partner, the institution should provide landlords with stability and security, explains Friedberg's non-partisan mayor, Kjetil Dahlhaus. He developed the idea together with Lottermann and thus also aims to specifically end vacancies in the city. The demand for housing in the city is expected to rise, as the university plans to expand its offerings and, according to its own statements, expects more students from abroad. Unlike students from the region, students will definitely need housing, according to the THM. "We like the idea," says Albert Ossó Schulz, chairman of the THM's General Student Committee, about the project. But only "as long as the prices are reasonable." This means that the costs should not exceed the BAföG share. The BAföG housing allowance has been €380 since last year. Lottermann from the student union also emphasizes that housing must be affordable for students. The amount of 380 euros may be difficult to maintain in many cases, but it should not be much more expensive.

At the end of June, the student union in Friedberg counted 283 dormitory spaces, all of which were occupied, and around 100 applicants. There are currently around 4,000 students enrolled at the university, which means it is still a long way from the goal set jointly with the state of providing ten percent of students with housing at one location. In order to create housing quickly, the private housing market offers almost the only short-term option, according to Lottermann. When asked, almost all student unions in the Rhine-Main area and in Hesse replied that they had never rented private apartments for subletting. Only Kassel rented apartments from a housing association on a short-term basis a few years ago, but is currently refraining from such rentals with long-term leases. The main aim is to cover peaks in demand at the start of the semester.

To create short-term housing for students, the Frankfurt Student Union, for example, came up with an unusual idea with its "Home" hostel. It is primarily aimed at students who could live there for up to three months. As a short-term solution to the housing shortage, almost all of the student unions contacted are turning to private landlords. In addition to the Gießen Student Union, Frankfurt, Marburg, and Kassel also offer online housing exchanges. In addition, some are making appeals to private landlords through the press; Darmstadt does this at least twice a year. They point out that "as a city of science, Darmstadt has an obligation to create a welcoming culture for students." Citizens can also contribute. The Darmstadt Student Union states that the action is not unusual, but it is having an impact. The Mainz Student Union, on the other hand, supports private landlords who come forward, but does not have a specific campaign. Private landlords are certainly important. From Mainz's perspective, however, they "cannot solve the housing problem."

In the long term, the student unions are focusing on new construction to create additional dormitory space. Some existing buildings are to be expanded or renovated. The Darmstadt Student Union is determined that, "provided it is economically viable, it wants to create additional affordable student housing." Together with the other Hessian student unions, they are pushing for a change to the housing subsidy guidelines, according to Kassel. "The goal is to achieve a significant increase in subsidies for student housing so that the student unions in Hesse can create affordable student housing." Furthermore, implementation will continue to require the provision of free building plots.

Lottermann from the Gießen Student Union also points out that they are dependent on support from the federal and state governments. Nothing is currently pending implementation in Friedberg. After the appeal to private landlords at the end of June, no lease had been signed. They are on the home stretch for the first apartment.