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People have always been drawn to cities. “City air makes one free” was a saying in the Middle Ages. The city promised not only freedom but also the chance to work, progress and prosperity. The attraction of the centers is uninterrupted. “Your appeal is a huge success for cities,” says real estate expert Donato Scognamiglio (53).
The downside of success: There is a shortage of living space in the city centre, rents are high and continue to rise. “Midsize companies can now hardly afford the city,” says Nicola Hilti, 46, a housing researcher at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences in Gallen. “This is especially true for Zurich, Zug, Geneva and Basel.”
High rents deter newcomers
No wonder the vacancy rate is 0.1 percent in Zurich, 0.33 in Zug and 0.5 in Geneva. Only in Basel the situation is slightly more comfortable with 1.6 percent. The budget for living in the city is also becoming limited for medium-sized companies.
The median income in Switzerland is CHF 80,000. Half the people earn more, the other half less. The rent should not be more than a third of the household budget – that is, an individual has about 2,200 francs left to live on. “There’s a better warehouse in a good location in the city of Zurich,” says Scognamiglio. This also discourages newcomers with a good income.
Because cheap apartments are extremely rare. If two people live together, the household budget increases, and with it the chances of finding an apartment. “There are about 3,500 francs for an apartment,” says Scognamiglio.
But when children are added to this, the need for space increases, and the budget decreases due to the decrease in workload or nursery expenses. Then it will be narrow for many middle-class families.
town association
This means that families will no longer move to the city at all, or if the cheap apartment needs a complete renovation or to make room for a new building, they have to go to the countryside. “Many have to move,” says Hilti, speaking for a study of many affected people. “Either to another neighborhood or completely out of town.”
The housing situation in the centers also worries the city association: “Most of the 130 interconnected cities have very little living space,” explains Monika Litscher, 49, the association’s deputy director. “Cities need good framework conditions for residential construction, urban development and mobility.” Because otherwise, the escape of cities threatens. “For a good mix, you need high and low incomes, singles, older people and families,” says Litscher.
And as large a middle class as possible, otherwise cities will have a problem, says urban sociologist Barbara Emmenegger (60) “If a group of city dwellers disappear, it’s not good for the city. A city thrives on diversity and interaction.” This has ramifications for local businesses as well: “Without midsize companies, parts of the city’s economy will collapse, shops and restaurants disappear for this mass,” Emmenegger fears.
Getting together can help
Cities are in danger of being blocked if workers and workers can no longer afford the city and move into the country. “If more and more people have to commute, that creates additional traffic problems,” says Emmenegger.
The danger has been identified, but unfortunately there is no quick remedy in sight. Above all, however, the trend towards more living space per capita must be reversed. «Today many people live alone, everyone needs a bathroom and a kitchen. That takes up a lot of space,” says Scognamiglio. “Therefore, there is a need for alternatives and different apartment sizes, especially in cities, so that people can move back into smaller apartments,” adds Litscher. The elderly, in particular, are reluctantly staying in larger apartments because there are no smaller affordable apartments.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
