The People’s Initiative Hamburg Expropriated is a political movement, an association in Hamburg that advocates the expropriation of large housing companies by referendum[1] The initiative is based on similar efforts as the Berlin initiative “Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen & Co.” and calls for the transfer of large private housing stocks into public ownership. [2]
The initiative was launched on April 13, 2022 with the founding of the association “Hamburg enteignet eV”. Shortly after its founding, the initiative began to take formal steps to implement its goals. On April 25, 2022, a consultation response was received in accordance with Section 1a of the Referendum Act regarding an expropriation law. The initiative is led by Marco Hosemann[3]Die Linke representative of the Hamburg North district assembly,[4] the lawyer Marleen Neuling and Martin Lessing, trainee nurse in the Hamburg authority.[5]
The main demand of “Hamburg Enteignet” is the socialization of housing that is managed by large real estate companies. The initiative aims to change Hamburg’s legislation to create the possibility of expropriating housing. This is intended in particular to curb speculation in housing and ensure affordable rents in the long term. The focus is on socially just urban development and combating the housing crisis in Hamburg. [6]
In March 2023, the association “Hamburg Enteignet” handed over 18,231 signatures – with at least 10,000 valid votes required – to the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, with the aim of having the Hamburg Parliament draft an expropriation law.[7] Since Parliament did not follow the demand[8] and Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD) rejected the proposal,[9] The association applied for a referendum. The initiative is currently waiting for a ruling from the Hamburg Constitutional Court before further steps can be taken. If the court rejects the people’s initiative, the initiative will not be able to collect any more signatures for a referendum. The court’s decision will largely determine whether and how the initiative can continue to pursue its demands. Until then, the active collection and organization of further signature campaigns is on hold.[1]
Objectively speaking, the timing of the expropriation demands and the collection of signatures on the street should be seen in the context of the election for the 23rd Hamburg Parliament, which is expected to take place on March 2, 2025; this has thus set an election campaign theme for the Left.
The demands and actions of “Hamburg Enteignet” have provoked both positive and negative reactions. Proponents support the initiative because of the urgent housing problem and rising rents in Hamburg. Especially from the point of view of the failed housing policy of the last decades. Critics, however, especially from the real estate industry and parts of politics, warn of the possible negative effects of socialization.
- ↑ a b André Zuschlag: Lawsuit against popular initiative: Hamburg does not want to have to expropriate. In: Die Tageszeitung: taz. November 15, 2023, ISSN 0931-9085 (taz.de [abgerufen am 25. August 2024]).
- ↑ Website. In: Hamburg Expropriated – People’s Initiative for Socialization. July 16, 2024, accessed August 24, 2024.
- ↑ Debate in Hamburg. Socialization of 100,000 apartments? CDU speaks of “expropriation orgy”. In: Focus/Mopo. June 16, 2023, accessed August 25, 2024.
- ↑ Marco Hosemann. (Instagram) In: @Hosemann_hh. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ↑ Imprint. In: hamburg-enteignet.de. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ↑ “Keep rents permanently low.” In: hinzundkunzt.de. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ↑ “Hamburg expropriated”: Senate takes referendum to court. In: welt.de. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ↑ Housing policy: People’s initiative “Hamburg expropriates” before the Constitutional Court. In: Die Zeit. November 14, 2023, ISSN 0044-2070 (zeit.de [abgerufen am 25. August 2024]).
- ↑ Hamburg will soon own half of the city. In: iz.de. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
