Judgment in the Frankfurt rental decision is imminent
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OfGeorge Leppert
conclude
An initiative will make the municipal housing association ABG responsible. The outcome in court? Totally uncertain.
Alexis Passadakis has no illusions. It is not certain that the rental decision initiative, in which he has played a key role since it was founded, will win in the coming week before the administrative court. Can the initiative refute the city’s arguments on Thursday next week? “We hope so, there is no guarantee,” says Passadakis.
The initiative, which invites protest actions in the days before the appointment in the administrative court, sees itself as absolutely right. The core of the procedure is the question of how the city deals with citizens’ requests. Because the Mietentscheid initiative collected 25,000 signatures for its demands in 2018, as required by law. In short, these are as follows: The municipal housing association ABG may only build subsidized apartments; If apartments go free, they automatically go to people who are entitled to subsidized housing; Anyone who lives in a non-subsidized apartment but is entitled to a subsidized one only pays the rent for a subsidized apartment.
Actions
On several dates the Bündnis Mietentscheid promotes the citizens’ initiative.
A discussion The demands will be announced on Friday, March 4th, at 6 p.m. in the Open House of Cultures, Mertonstraße 26. The group will protest on Monday, March 7th, 12 noon in front of the Frankfurt City Planning Office, Kurt-Schumacher, for the construction of more social housing – Street 10.
Before the Administrative Court There will be a rally at Adalbertstraße 18 on Thursday, March 10 at 9 a.m. The oral hearing begins at 10 a.m. geo
Actually, the next step would be a referendum. The people of Frankfurt would decide on the demands. If the majority agrees, they will be implemented – provided that the quorum of 15 percent WILL be reached.
Most recently there had been a referendum in Frankfurt on the development of the racetrack site. He failed the quorum, the DFB was allowed to build on the site of his academy. When it comes to the rental decision, however, the city will not even come to a vote. She considers the citizens’ request to be inadmissible and gives several formal reasons. Above all, she argues with the financing. The initiative did not make it clear how the classic change in the policy of the ABG could be paid for. Organizers of citizens’ initiatives are obliged to such a concept.
Passadakis cannot understand the city’s argument. On the one hand, he calls on the profits of the ABG to be used for the purposes of the initiative. On the other hand, trade tax must be increased. Whether the court can be convinced of this, however, will only be clear in a few weeks. The hearing will take place on Thursday, March 10th. The written judgment will follow later.