East Germans Had More Affordable Housing #history #coldwar #sovietunion

East Germans Had More Affordable Housing #history #coldwar #sovietunion

How did workers in communist East Germany have better access to affordable housing than we even do today? There’s probably no better place to talk about this than the cities across Germany’s east, where I’ve been exploring neighborhoods built during the communist era. Nearly one in four Americans spend over 50% of their income on housing, but the average East German paid only 5% of their income on housing. How was that possible? After World War II, most of Germany was destroyed in the war, leading to a massive housing crisis. East Germany solved this with an ambitious housing construction program because they considered housing as a human right. They were building over 100,000 apartments a year using innovative pre-fabricated construction technology with a focus on robust and economical design. These homes didn’t just have kitchens, bathrooms, central heating. They had incredible neighborhood design as well. These new communities were designed so that apartment complexes had everything tenants needed within walking distance. schools, nurseries, sport facilities, shops, and restaurants, all strategically placed for quick access. These layouts were also developed to foster better socializing where people could easily develop good neighborly relationships quickly. By the end of the GDR, over 90% of people lived in state-owned apartments. But now, 35 years after reunification, East German cities find themselves once again in a housing crisis. This time, not from war, but from the private capitalist housing system. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for long form posts Soviet content.