Could Vienna’s approach to affordable housing work in California?

Vienna’s Affordable Housing Model: A Blueprint for Success

Introduction

Imagine a beautiful city where a centrally located two-bedroom apartment can cost you as little as $600 a month. For many US policymakers, it’s a pipe dream. And yet in Vienna, it’s a reality.

The Success of Vienna’s Housing Policy

In the past two years, at least four delegations of housing experts and political leaders from California have visited the Austrian capital, hoping to unlock the secrets of why Vienna regularly comes top in surveys of the world’s most livable cities.

They’re struck by the absence of homeless encampments, and marvel at the sheer scale of the subsidised housing developments which include shared amenities such swimming pools, gyms, workshops, communal gardens and spacious roof terraces.

And they wonder how they can bring some of it home to a region gripped by an unaffordability crisis that lands long-term residents out of state or on the streets.

The Unaffordability Crisis in California

Last year, California counted more than 180,000 people living on the streets, a 40% rise in five years. Housing costs in the state are now double what they are in the rest of the US. Average monthly payments for a newly purchased mid-tier home are more than $5,500 a month and wages have not kept pace with rising rents. “You now need to earn $200,000 a year to have a comfortable middle-class life in California,” said Jennifer LeSar of the Global Policy Leadership Academy, which organises the trips to Vienna.

The Vienna Model: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The foundation of Vienna’s success is a housing policy that ensures all people live in dignified circumstances at affordable rents in homes they can keep for their lifetime and even pass on to their children. It’s not just for the poorest but the middle class as well. Sixty per cent of people in Vienna live in subsidised housing, compared with just 5% of Californians.

“This is incredible. The US sucks man. Why can’t we do this?” said Ruben Mendoza, a young activist from Uplift San Bernardino, shaking his head in disbelief as he was shown around a mixed housing development near the city centre with communal facilities and affordable rents. Mendoza said one of the reasons he became a housing advocate was because he feared never being able to own a home in the community he grew up in. Like most Californians, he spends more than 50% of his disposable household income on rent. In Vienna, residents on average spend 27% of their income on housing.

Key Differences and Success Factors

There are some obvious differences. Vienna is densely built, with the majority of residents living in relatively small apartments within easy distance of the city centre. Most Viennese are renters, and use the well-connected public transport system to move around. Most Californians live in owner-occupied single-family homes in the suburbs. Public transportation systems are underfunded, and most residents use their car to travel.

But the biggest difference is how much new affordable housing is going up in Vienna. “Just look at all the cranes,” said Adam Briones from California’s Community Builders, a research and advocacy organization working to close the racial wealth gap through housing. The city of Vienna builds about 6,000-7,000 new units of subsidised housing every year as it tries to keep up with rising demand. “They’re just building more housing than us. It’s not rocket science,” said Corey Smith of San Francisco’s Housing Action Coalition.

Vienna’s Approach to Nimbyism

Vienna has a more top-down approach to tackling nimbyism. As the delegation toured Seestadt Aspern, a new town built on a former military airfield outside Vienna, the urban planner Kurt Hoftstetter explained that they had held up to 20 meetings in the nearby villages before they began construction. “We did this to inform residents of our plans and ask them how we could make it more acceptable to them. But we did not ask their permission.”

Funding and Policy Considerations

Vienna’s affordable housing system is supported by a 1% tax on all salaries which provides a

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property.
• SDG 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
• SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 1.4: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure.
• Indicator for SDG 11.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing.
• Indicator for SDG 17.17: Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

4. Detailed Analysis

The article addresses the issues of affordable housing, homelessness, and the housing crisis in California. These issues are connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SDG 1: No Poverty

The target under this SDG that can be identified is Target 1.4, which aims to ensure that all men and women, particularly the poor and vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources and access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property. The article highlights the housing policy in Vienna that ensures all people live in dignified circumstances at affordable rents in homes they can keep for their lifetime. This policy addresses the issue of poverty and unequal access to housing.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The target under this SDG that can be identified is Target 11.1, which aims to ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The article discusses the housing crisis in California, with rising housing costs and homelessness. It contrasts this with Vienna’s housing policy that provides affordable housing options and amenities. This highlights the need for sustainable cities and communities with affordable housing options for all residents.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The target under this SDG that can be identified is Target 17.17, which aims to encourage and promote effective partnerships between public, public-private, and civil society organizations. The article mentions the delegations of housing experts and political leaders from California visiting Vienna to learn from their housing policies. This demonstrates the importance of partnerships and knowledge-sharing in addressing housing issues.

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: theguardian.com

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