Berlin’s New Alliance Demands Climate Action and Affordable Housing Now
A coalition of over 100 organisations in Berlin has united under the alliance Our City to push for major changes in urban development. The group insists that climate action and affordable housing must go hand in hand, rather than compete against each other. Their demands include stricter controls on housing costs, a halt to speculative projects, and stronger climate measures in construction.
Berlin’s current government has focused on rapid construction to tackle rising rents and housing shortages. However, critics argue this approach favours private developers who mostly build luxury homes, leaving ordinary residents with fewer affordable options. Meanwhile, social housing units continue to lose price protections year after year.
The alliance highlights the Senate’s failure to implement the Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Program (BEK 2030), which aims for climate neutrality by 2045. Instead, they propose a shift: retrofitting existing buildings, expanding renewable energy, and stopping projects that destroy green spaces. They also want districts—not the Senate—to decide what counts as overriding public interest when overriding local planning rules. Key demands include permanent price controls for social housing, a ban on selling public land to private buyers, and tougher action against vacant properties held for speculation. The group further calls for mandatory demolition permits and strict assessments of the carbon and ecological impact of all new construction projects. Urban planners and civil society groups broadly agree that Berlin needs a more climate-responsible, socially just, and community-led approach to development. The alliance argues that these changes would benefit both the environment and residents struggling with high living costs.
The Our City alliance brings together a wide range of voices to challenge Berlin’s current housing and climate policies. Their proposals focus on concrete steps: stronger tenant protections, greener construction rules, and more local control over development. If adopted, these measures could reshape how the city balances growth, affordability, and sustainability in the years ahead.
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