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by thatjoeoverthr 7 days ago
Last time I was in Germany I saw what appeared to be homeless children
2 comments

Welfare doesn't entirely eliminate homelessness.

It's… like… not that simple.

Did they look Ukrainian or Syrian? Germany let in millions of people over the last few years and never built enough housing.
This is totally incorrect. Germany is literally giving out housing for almost free.

No, I'm not stupid or lying.

And yes, it's true. It's just that this housing is not in Berlin.

"Built enough" may sound like the same thing as "giving out housing for almost free", but it isn't. Also, cheap temporary emergency housing for a sudden extra burst of refugees may be inappropriate for permanent occupancy, I believe this is an example, it's certainly containerised/temporary *something*: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HUyQS6Sc1w1Y8GUH6?g_st=ic

That said, an idea has come to mind: UK and Italy have had schemes where a home can be purchased for £1/€1 under the condition the new owner repairs them (the repairs would cost 20-150k). Given some of the really bad stock I've seen in some searches, this may be a good idea for Germany too.

I'm talking about places like Eisenhüttenstadt where you can find a regular apartment for rent for 300€ a month. Market rate.

And yes, you can find even cheaper apartments.