Who is entitled to the money

New subsidy to make housing affordable

Housing is becoming more and more expensive. However, as the state has no influence on interest rates, commodity prices and credit rules, Lower Austria is turning the subsidy screw: the flat-rate operating cost allowance is being increased by 50 percent. The "Krone" explains who benefits from this.

High interest rates, increases in the cost of raw materials and energy, barriers to lending - all of these factors are currently slowing down residential construction. "The construction costs per square meter in subsidized housing have risen by almost a third in recent years," calculates Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, the provincial councillor responsible: "The situation is precarious."

Financial aid necessary
A fatal consequence: inflation is also driving up rents. "And this is exactly where we want to start with new measures to provide financial aid for the socially disadvantaged," emphasizes the ÖVP politician. Specifically, it is about the so-called flat-rate operating costs allowance, which can be received by all those who already receive housing benefit or a housing subsidy.

15,500 households benefit
Last year, this amounted to just over 15,500 households, explains Peter Neurauter, head of the state's housing subsidy department. The subsidy for operating costs will be increased from one euro per square meter to 1.50 euros and paid out for one year - depending on income, apartment and family size. Anyone already receiving housing benefit will automatically receive the new bonus, it is said.

More than 45,000 families receive financial help with their housing costs every year. There are 38.6 million euros in non-repayable subsidies for this.

Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, Wohnbau-Landesrätin

Hoping for less bureaucracy
Incidentally, Lower Austria is in second place behind Burgenland when it comes to subsidized housing. Only in the neighboring federal state are more subsidized apartments built in relation to the total volume of residential construction than between Enns and Leihta. There are currently 4400 residential units under construction in the vast province. How much of the federal government's housing construction billion will flow to Lower Austria? Teschl-Hofmeister: "There are no details yet. But I'm hoping for minimal bureaucratic effort."

 Information on subsidies: www.noe-wohnbau.at