Despite the housing shortage: Parliament wants more second homes

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In communities with more than 20 percent second homes, these buildings may now only be renovated and reused to a limited extent. This must change: With 27 votes in favor and 11 against – against the wishes of the SP and the Greens and with five abstentions – the Council of States agreed to a relaxation on Tuesday.

In concrete terms, buildings built before March 11, 2012 – on that day the second house initiative was approved at the ballot box – would be allowed to be enlarged by a maximum of 30 percent and new apartments would be allowed to be built during renovations, but also after demolition and reconstruction. There should be no usage restrictions in these cases. They can therefore also be second homes – even if the municipality already exceeds the maximum limit of 20 percent.

Mountain areas need to develop

The proposal comes from the Environment and Spatial Planning Committee of the National Council (Urek-N). The aim of the proposal was to enable densification and development in mountain areas. The Council of States followed this.

Current regulations are an obstacle to investments, says State Councilor Beat Rieder (Central/US). Brigitte Häberli-Koller (center/TG) added that the regulations could prevent energy-saving renovations in old buildings. It must be possible to renovate these homes to modern standards.

A red-green minority rejected the proposal. This leads to the construction of financially attractive second homes and contradicts the constitutional article, according to Mathilde Crevoisier Crelier (SP/JU). Affordable first homes for the local population came under pressure. And they know that the Federal Council is on their side.

Federal Council agrees with the left

The state government had already unsuccessfully applied to the National Council to expressly make the resulting additional living space primary homes for locals and not secondary homes. This proposal was rejected in the Council of States by 17 votes against 26.

The Federal Council is also concerned about the lack of affordable housing in some tourist locations, Environment Minister Albert Rösti said. However, the arrangement that has now been decided upon is in a certain sense contradictory to the constitution.

“Without second homes there is no Andermatt”

Heidi Z’graggen (middle/UR) also advocated the Federal Council’s approach. This makes it possible to build new first homes without further stimulating the demand for second homes. The Urek-N template may make sense for 1960s and 1970s holiday resorts, but not in village centres. Josef Dittli (FDP/UR) also supported the Federal Council with a look at Andermatt UR. The place benefits from the project of Samih Sawiris. But the new apartments there served almost exclusively as second homes, he noted. But the local population and young people also needed perspective.

“Without the possibilities to build second homes, the Sawiris project in Andermatt would not have existed,” replied Rieder from Upper Valais. The municipality has options to counter these developments with regulations tailored to its situation. The National Council approved the proposal, against the wishes of the SP, the Greens and the GLP. She’s ready for the final vote. National councilor Martin Candinas (middle/GR) initiated this with a parliamentary initiative.

(SDA/sf)

Source:Blick