Feminist housing policy: How women have to fight in the housing market

Feminist housing policy: How women have to fight in the housing market

In recent years, the topic of “feminist housing policy” has increasingly come into the public eye. Women in particular have to contend with enormous challenges in the housing market. For many women*, access to safe and affordable housing is not only a social problem, but often also an existential question. According to an interview with Tabea Latocha on mdr.de, men are often the owners of real estate and are often solely responsible for financing the living space. In contrast, women* are significantly more likely to be affected by domestic violence, which keeps them in violent relationships and makes it more difficult to leave such situations.

The question that arises here is: How can we improve the realities of women's lives in the housing market? An important aspect is the lack of women's shelters and the fact that financial problems severely affect access to housing for many women. Feminist housing policy aims to combat social inequalities caused by gender, income and other factors. This perspective is increasingly seen as necessary to address housing issues and develop solutions that truly benefit everyone.

Social challenges in housing

The situation on the housing market is characterized by social and spatial inequalities, which are further exacerbated by factors such as gender and origin. As the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation explains, women* are particularly hard hit by exclusion and discrimination. This Chelsea crisis is being exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated inflation. During the crisis, around 30,000 people in Germany forcibly lost their homes - that's 81 people per day. Female and migrant people in the lower income range are often particularly affected.

Like Tabea Latocha and Dr. As Sarah Klosterkamp emphasizes, women have a lower income on average and often have to spend a higher proportion of their wages on housing. This means that many women end up in precarious living conditions or are even at risk of homelessness. The lack of social housing makes the situation even more precarious.

Feminist approaches to solving the housing crisis

In recent years, feminist approaches to housing policy have gained importance. These approaches are not homogeneous, but rather encompass different perspectives on the issue of housing. Feminist housing policy should recognize and promote the diversity of people's realities, which means that it does not exclude anyone. The focus is on access to housing through cooperatives, solidarity models and the expansion of social housing. Community-oriented living concepts and the integration of common spaces in new residential projects are essential building blocks of this policy.

Katalin Gennburg, urban development spokeswoman for the Left Party, pointed out in the House of Representatives that it was time to question the patriarchy and design the city in such a way that it is worth living in for everyone. An important goal is to provide all people with the right to adequate, safe and affordable housing. This also includes measures such as the expansion of housing projects for female and queer people.

The feminist housing concepts we discuss today date back to the turn of the century. These historical roots show that the issue of housing is closely linked to the power relationships in society. This needs to be changed in order to create fairer living conditions. A good example of successful feminist housing policy are housing projects that are designed by tenants for tenants and offer perspective to women who live in stressful situations.

Overall, it remains to be hoped that feminist approaches in housing policy will be heard more widely and can lead to a fundamental improvement in housing conditions for women. The road is long, but the need for change is clear. In order to meet the challenges in the housing market, we need more solidarity and a clear focus on the needs of those affected.