Overview
- Destatis reported 238,500 residential approvals in 2025, the first increase since 2021, driven by single-family (+17.2% to 44,500) and multi-family (+12.1% to 128,100) permits with momentum in the second half.
- Federal minister Verena Hubertz called the figures a sign of a turn in housing construction, while industry groups cautioned that permits do not quickly translate into finished homes.
- Analyses cite a nationwide shortfall of roughly 1.4 million dwellings, and studies suggest more than 400,000 new homes per year would be needed to close the gap versus about 215,000 completions expected in 2026.
- Berlin’s housing commission says it has unblocked roughly 16,700 homes and is working on about 113 projects totaling around 80,000 units, many facing complex clarifications over issues like environmental constraints and school provision.
- States are stepping up targeted measures, with Brandenburg funding €250 million in 2025 for 1,153 units including 1,005 with long-term rent and allocation bindings and promoting modular builds, while Thuringia plans bonuses for extending rent caps up to 35 years alongside simplified standards.