Concerning Salzburg

Social explosives

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Julia Hürner)

There is no housing shortage in Salzburg. Some time ago, an otherwise reputable regional politician was allowed to claim this in all seriousness on ORF radio without being contradicted.

As proof of this unsympathetic statement, the politician cited his very personal perception that he did not see any homeless people in Salzburg. As if the number of people sleeping under bridges was an indication of rising property prices and even more so of rising rents.

Now, creating living space in Salzburg is actually no easy task. The city is small, the countryside is attractive and opportunities for building land are limited. Ignoring the problem, as politicians have done for a long time, is not a solution. On the contrary. The consequences of inaction could hit us all hard.

The economy has been suffering from a lack of living space for a long time. This affects young families as well as older people who have not fallen on the butter side of life. It is also often simply too expensive for qualified specialists from neighboring provinces to live here. No matter how good the salaries paid by Salzburg companies may be.

The problem harbors enormous social dynamite. Now at least Bernhard Auinger, the new mayor of the city of Salzburg, is taking steps to tackle this issue. Of course, this will not happen quickly. A decade of neglect cannot be made up for in just a few months.