Cologne housing petition submitted to Mayor Burmester

The political party Die Linke has submitted a petition containing over 12,890 signatures to Cologne’s Mayor, Torsten Burmester. The petition calls on the city council to officially recognize a state of housing emergency and implement a comprehensive package of measures to combat the shortage of affordable living space.

Key demands include stricter enforcement against vacant properties, misuse of residential space, and excessive rent increases. The petition also advocates for increased staffing at the housing office, the introduction of rent caps—initially for municipal housing companies—and enhanced protection against displacement through social preservation statutes. Additionally, the group seeks measures to prevent evictions and homelessness, while urging the city to create more affordable housing through its own municipal companies and by requiring private developers to build more subsidized units.

These demands are intended to be integrated into the upcoming municipal budget, which the city council is expected to pass on November 12. Cologne has become the most expensive city in North Rhine-Westphalia, with average asking rents reaching 14.15 euros per square meter, representing a more than 72 percent increase since 2010.