---
title: Effective measures to bring vacant properties back into use
url: "https://www.plattform-bauen-und-wohnen.de/en/worth-knowing/effective-measures-to-bring-vacant-properties-back-into-use/"
date: 2026-04-17
modified: 2026-04-20
lastUpdated: 2026-04-20
categories:
  - Wissenswertes
---

# Effective measures to bring vacant properties back into use

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3. [Effective measures to bring vacant properties back into use](https://www.plattform-bauen-und-wohnen.de/en/worth-knowing/effective-measures-to-bring-vacant-properties-back-into-use/)

   *In Germany, around 1.9 million apartments were vacant according to the 2022 census – equivalent to 4.3 per cent of the housing stock., with half of them vacant for more than one year1. While in many major cities such as Munich, Hamburg or Berlin only about 2 to 3 per cent of apartments are unused, significantly higher vacancy rates are found in eastern German regions and in some structurally weak rural districts. Many large and medium-sized cities are already implementing instruments to systematically record vacancies and reactivate unused properties. This represents a key lever for creating housing and thus making an important contribution to more affordable housing.*

    08.10.2025    Reading time:

  In Germany, around 1.9 million flats were vacant according to the 2022 census – equivalent to 4.3 percent of the housing stock., with half of them vacant for more than one year. In many major cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Cologne or Berlin only about 2 to 3 percent of flats are unused. In contrast, significantly higher vacancy rates can be observed in eastern German regions and in some structurally weak rural districts.

A flat is considered vacant if it is neither rented out nor occupied by the owner. Holiday and second homes are not included2. According to owners, almost 40 per cent of vacant flats would be ready for occupancy within three months and could therefore be made available to the market in the short term. For nearly a quarter of the properties, ongoing or planned construction measures are the reason for vacancy, while a further 14 per cent are vacant due to planned sale or owner occupation.

Vacancy is not inherently negative. A share of around 2 to 5 per cent is considered necessary for a functioning housing market – for example, to enable moves, renovations, or refurbishments. However, it becomes problematic when housing is scarce.

Many large and medium-sized cities are already implementing instruments to systematically record vacancies and reactivate unused properties. Freiburg, for example, systematically evaluates citizen reports, links its vacancy register with regulatory procedures, and imposes fines of up to € 50.000 for violations of the ban or misuse of residential space. Leipzig relies on strategic vacancy management with GIS-based housing market monitoring and active management with property owners, which has already significantly reduced vacancies. Hamburg follows a low-threshold digital approach and facilitates the reporting of vacancies through user-friendly online services and cooperation with platforms. Hanau combines digital vacancy reporting, map-based visualisation, owner dialogue, and a property portal into a continuous process from reporting to marketing.

Effective solutions can also be found in smaller municipalities: Großenhain in Saxony has established a building database for vacant properties and makes selected listings available online. This supports marketing efforts and increases transparency in urban development. The district of Schaumburg coordinates, together with 17 cities and municipalities, in intermunicipal digital cadastre of vacant lots and empty properties, specifically aimed at revitalizing town centers in small and medium-sized towns. The district of Cham uses an intermunicipal GIS system as part of a sustainable settlement management approach to record vacant lots and potentially developable land, keeping the data up to date in cooperation with local authorities.

These approaches show that the activation of vacant housing is most successful when data, processes, and communication are consistently aligned toward bringing housing back into use – thereby helping to relieve pressure on the housing market.

1 [Federal Statistic Office, 2024](https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/Zensus2022-Pressemitteilungen/PM_zenus2022_46.html?templateQueryString=zensus+2011&utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2 [Federal Statistic Office](https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Wohnen/Glossar/leerstehende-wohnungen.html)