Armut, Prekarisierung und sozialräumliche Ungleichheit: Konzepte und Strategien für Leistbarkeit und Teilhabe in Wien

SE Concepts and Strategies for Affordability and Participation in Vienna
Master’s Course in Spatial Planning and Regional Development
Elective Module 5: Society, Everyday Life and Space | 280.912 | 3 ECTS
from Thursday, October 13, 2022
Simon Güntner, Gerald Kössl, Judith M. Lehner

What can I actually still afford? This is a question increasingly being asked even by people who previously had no financial concerns. With inflation and the energy crisis, a dramatic rise in poverty is emerging. For several years now, social studies have diagnosed a “downwardly mobile society,” growing social division, and the decline of the middle class. In this seminar, we examine the current social situation in Vienna and also consider urban strategies aimed at keeping the city affordable for low-income groups.

More information in TISS

As part of a symposium held in January 2023 with students and stakeholders from public administration, social organizations, and the non-profit housing sector, the discussion expanded from affordable housing to the affordable city. For the symposium, students designed five poster presentations on different topics related to affordability, all of which are highly relevant to the non-profit housing sector. The five topics were:

Life Situation Concept – What does everyday life cost for Viennese residents (differentiated by groups, including students themselves)? How are prices increasing?

Municipal Affordability Policy – How does a municipality organize infrastructures that remain affordable (e.g., repair bonus, municipal basic income – Barcelona)?

Affordability through Commons – Which goods can be provided beyond the market – and who benefits from them?

Housing Cost Burden in Vienna – Where in Vienna are particularly many people (and which groups) burdened by housing costs?

Institutions and Affordability – What happens if I can no longer afford my (warm) rent?

The results of the mapping on these five topics can be found here, as well as in the GBV newsletter.