WIESBADEN (dpa-AFX) - The upward trend in the long-ailing housing construction sector is continuing: in April, the authorities in Germany approved the construction and conversion of a total of 18,500 apartments. According to calculations by the Federal Statistical Office, this was 4.9 percent more than a year earlier. Fifteen thousand of these homes are to be built in new buildings – an increase of 5.1 percent compared to April 2024, as reported by statisticians in Wiesbaden.
The year-to-date figures are also positive: From January to April 2025, the number of building permits for residential construction totaled 73,900. According to calculations, this was 3.7 percent more than in the same period last year. However, statisticians are reporting stagnation in the construction of multi-family homes, while more single-family homes are being built.
"Construction turbo" to accelerate residential construction
Affordable housing is particularly scarce in metropolitan areas. More new apartments are the declared goal of the new federal government. The SPD-led previous government had promised 400,000 new apartments per year in Germany, but never achieved this goal.
Last year, the number of permits fell by almost 17 percent to its lowest level since 2010. The authorities had approved just 215,900 new units.
To speed up housing construction, the federal cabinet plans to introduce a law on Wednesday: The so-called "Bau-Turbo" (construction turbo) is intended to give municipalities the opportunity to streamline approval procedures by allowing them to deviate from development plans.
Housing construction in Germany is in crisis, partly due to high construction costs. At the same time, there is a shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry. /ben/DP/mis
