SPÖ Wants Criminal Offense for Rent Usury

In addition, tourist rentals - often focused on the platform Airbnb in the past - should be more strongly regulated. SPÖ leader and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler emphasized in his speech that his party wants to ensure justice and prevent future waves of inflation.

SPÖ Leader: "Housing is a Basic Right"

"Housing is a basic right," said Babler, who is responsible for the area as a minister. The SPÖ's ideas would go beyond what has already been decided - such as the rent price cap or the extension of the minimum lease term - as well as the government program. Because many rents in private old buildings are excessive and there are no consequences for landlords in the case of intentional overcharging, according to the resolution, a criminal offense for rent usury and rental law violations is needed. The income from this should flow into affordable housing.

Furthermore, the SPÖ wants to regulate tourist rentals more strictly - for example, through a registration requirement. An "intensive action" is needed against illegal tourist private rentals. CO2 and operating costs should be fairly divided between landlords and tenants, with insurance costs, for example, only being borne by landlords.

The SPÖ wants to lower land prices by keeping free land in the hands of the federal, state, and local governments. Unused land from outsourced federal companies like ÖBB or Federal Forests should be made available for non-profit housing construction. The Social Democrats are also in favor of a zoning category "Subsidized Housing". However, the resolution contains various other points - from accelerating approval procedures for housing construction to a renovation offensive, activating vacancies in town centers, and establishing dedicated housing finance institutes to earmarking housing subsidies. The income from this should be invested in the renovation and creation of housing.

Babler Sees "Right Path"

"We pursue a policy that intervenes," said Babler, the markets must work for the people and not the other way around. He sharply criticized the previous black-green government, which let inflation run rampant and "threw money" at problems. Taxpayers had financed the profits of a few crisis winners through their policies. He also took aim at coalitions between FPÖ and ÖVP. Such a coalition would have used the crisis to dismantle the welfare state, Babler is sure, who styled the SPÖ as the counter-model.

Participation in the three-party coalition with the ÖVP and the NEOS, through which a "far-right Chancellor Kickl" was prevented, was not a comfortable, "but the right path," said the SPÖ leader. He expressed confidence that the SPÖ would perform better in future elections. The population will understand if the state "saves justly." Once the measures start to take effect, the SPÖ would also succeed in the polls.

(APA/Red)

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