Vienna SPÖ official allegedly suggests sale of 100,000 municipal apartments

Reports have emerged regarding a potential sale of Vienna’s municipal housing. Ernst Nevirvy, the SPÖ district chairman for Donaustadt, allegedly suggested the sale of up to 100,000 of the city’s 220,000 municipal apartments during a private meeting in late 2025.

The meeting reportedly included former Chancellor Werner Faymann, Vienna SPÖ leadership, and executives from the Vienna Insurance Group. Nevirvy allegedly criticized previous social housing initiatives as “nonsense” and expressed interest in selling a portion of the stock.

In response, Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig denied that any sale of municipal housing is being considered or has been under discussion. Meanwhile, Graz Mayor Elke Kahr of the KPÖ criticized the remarks, labeling them a “blow to the heart” of the SPÖ and contrasting the situation with Graz, where she pledged that no such sales would occur under her leadership.