Spandau Joins the Berlin Districts with "Milieuschutz" Areas

The Spandau District Assembly has voted to have a rough screening performed to identify areas where looming rent increases are likely to push out existing tenants, gentrification.

According to the IVD Berlin-Brandenburg Spandau was the district with the highest rent increases lately. The average rent for "simple" neighborhoods is at 7.75 €/m²/month while Spandau remained one of the last three districts without "Milieuschutz".

The rough screening will start in September.

Zitadelle Spandau

Von Benutzer:sec11 - Fotografiert am 16.04.04, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23985521

Amongst the areas already seen as strong candidates to be included in the protection of "Milieuschutz" are Spandauer Neustadt and Wilhelmstadt to the north and south of the center Altstadt. Another area already discussed is the development "An der Kappe" with ca. 1,100 apartments.

Spandau City Hall

Von A.Savin (Wikimedia Commons · WikiPhotoSpace) - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22550225

We will keep our readers updated on the developments.

More information about the impact of the "Milieuschutz" on the property owners in the area youu can find here:

The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin

Upcoming "Milieuschutz" Areas in Moabit and Tiergarten

The Berlin-Mitte district council put the pressure up for “Milieuschutz”. In their last meeting before the summer break, the representatives demanded the district administration by resolution to identify the so-called observation areas Körner- and Lützowstraße in Tiergarten and Moabit the Lübecker Straße and the Thomasiusstraße and the Beussel district as “Milieuschutz” protection areas. Further to formally announce the dedication of the areas in order to apply the social conservation mechanisms as soon as possible. This means that homeowners must meet certain approval criteria for construction projects and take into account the rent index in the district.
The “Milieuschutz” is an urban and social instrument for avoiding displacement of the existing resident population also known as gentrification.
More information about the impact of the "Milieuschutz" on the property owners in the area youu can find here:

The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin

Neukölln – the chili pepper in Berlin’s melting pot, by Handelsblatt Global

The scruffy borough in Germany's capital – long the destination for poorer immigrants from Turkey and the Balkans – is gentrifying, but not nearly as fast as neighboring districts. And that's just fine, writes one of our editors, a former resident.

By

• John Blau

This is an interesting insight into one of the upcoming areas of Berlin. From immigrant culture to shabby chique there are many shades of life to be found here. The author had moved into the area and lived there for some time so his views have an authentic authority without eyes glazing over.

A recommended reading for locals, visitors and those interested in Berlin.

https://global.handelsblatt.com/opinion/neukoelln-chili-pepper-berlin-melting-pot-941439

The Berlin District Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf Is About To Get Their First Two "Milieuschutz" Areas

In July 2017 the local council of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf had published the plan to declare the first two gentrification protected  "Milieuschutz" areas.for a period of 12 months any activity contradicting these plans can be denied. The district is now set to publicly declare the Milieuschutz for two areas:

Around Mierendorffplatz across the river Spree to the east of the Charlottenburg Castle.

"Mierendorff-Insel"

Full size

Around Gierkeplatz to the southwest from the castle south of Otto-Suhr-Allee.

"Gierkeplatz"

Full size

Further areas in Charlottenburg around Klausener Platz and in Wilmersdorf along Kurfürstenstrasse are currently discussed without any action taken yet.

For more information about the implications for a property owner see my articles:
The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin
Thinking About Dividing an Apartment Block into Condos in Berlin? What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Berlin's Newest Area Protected Against Gentrification is in Lichtenberg

The newest area for "Milieuschutz" is in Berlin-Lichtenberg, the first one in the district. While a research project in 2016 came to the conclusion that there is no pressure on the existing social structure and tenants are safe from gentrification a recent update of the data showed that more than 50% of the current tenants in the area are under threat of being pushed out by the price development. So the local council voted and passed a measure to protect a specific area from certain changes. The measure is known a "Milieuschutz" or more formally as "Erhaltungsgebiet" and was passed in the district assembly on 17.05.2018 which became effective a few days later with its publication. The area is called "Erhaltungsgebiet Weitlingstraße"

"Erhaltungsgebiet Weitlingstraße", Click for full size

For more information about the consequences for owners please view:
The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin

We are consulting owners on how to optimise their properties in protected areas.