Junk properties in the Ruhr area: Tenants suffer from garbage and defects!

Junk properties in the Ruhr area: Tenants suffer from garbage and defects!

In the Ruhr area there is an alarming problem with neglected rental apartments that are inhabited despite serious defects. Many of these properties are known as “junk properties” and characterize the image in cities such as Duisburg and Essen. An example of this are the so-called “White Giants” in Duisburg, high-rise buildings from the 1970s that are in a catastrophic condition. Another example in Essen is the former headquarters of the Red Cross, whose entrance door is currently only secured with a plywood panel. Residents report heroin addicts using the building as a place to sleep and people being spotted inside the property. Multiple fires in the area increase safety concerns for resident Nathalie Nikolaus, who fears for the safety of her neighborhood.

The situation is made even more difficult by the rent brake, which has been extended since 2015 to prevent rent increases. Duisburg-Rheinhausen also has garbage problems that attract rats and other pests. Numerous refugees from Bulgaria and Romania live here in over 320 apartments. In order to help people in need, Caritas has launched the “Türöffner” initiative to rent apartments for this group. At the same time, the city of Hagen pursued the strategy of buying up neglected properties and renovating them. Patrick Bensch from the Hagen development company reports on the ongoing renovation work in the region, which includes both neglected and restored properties.

Street fight against junk properties

Essen's mayor Thomas Kufen is concerned about the cities' ability to blackmail when renovating such problem properties. The city of Essen is not only planning to buy up junk properties, but also to demolish and rebuild neglected properties. In this context, the owners of the Essen Red Cross headquarters are having difficulty securing the building against vandalism, which further exacerbates the situation. This fight against neglected properties is supported by a law passed nine years ago, but many municipalities are skeptical about the effectiveness of these provisions.

The situation is similar in Dortmund. A tenant, Hatice, who has lived in a high-rise development for 15 years, complains about the landlord's poor response to repeated complaints. The problematic ownership structure in the large settlement is the core issue; Ownership changes frequently, but it is often the same people behind the changing companies trying to make a profit from bad properties. NRW Construction Minister Ina Scharrenbach criticizes the behavior of these owners as extremely problematic.

Legal measures and challenges

Large-scale controls in eleven cities are intended to address the problem, but frequent changes of ownership after fine notices make enforcement more difficult. The law theoretically allows entire blocks of houses to be declared uninhabitable, but this creates logistical challenges in accommodating tenants. The tenants' association is calling on municipalities to have more courage in dealing with problematic owners. Chairman Hans-Joachim Witzke emphasizes that a tough crackdown can have a deterrent effect and is necessary to improve the situation.

The problem of junk real estate remains an urgent challenge for the cities in the Ruhr area and requires both political measures and the commitment of the affected municipalities and organizations in order to improve the living conditions for local residents.