Prague mayoral candidates propose solutions to housing crisis

Prague mayoral candidates are proposing diverse strategies to address the city's housing crisis and rising costs. One major point of contention is the issue of vacant and speculative apartments. Tereza Nislerová of the Pirates Party suggests that taxing empty apartments could incentivize owners to rent them out, estimating that approximately 10 percent of the city's housing stock—roughly 60,000 to 70,000 units—may be vacant.

Other candidates emphasize the need to accelerate construction and regulate the rental market. Jan Hušbauer (ANO) advocates for utilizing municipal land for public housing, establishing clearer rules for developers, and regulating short-term rentals like Airbnb through licensing. Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě) also calls for increased municipal construction, aiming to start projects on city-owned land to produce at least 2,000 new units and supporting legislation to regulate short-term rentals.