Österreichischer Verband gemeinnütziger Bauvereinigungen
GBV
The Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations (Österreichischer Verband gemeinnütziger Bauvereinigungen) is the umbrella body for about 180 housing associations in Austria.
ID: 380689794343-77
Lobbying Activity
Response to Review of the State aid rules on the Services of General Economic Interest (“SGEI”)
29 Jul 2025
The Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations (LPHA) represents 172 member organizations across Austria. Limited-profit housing forms a vital Third Sector within the Austrian housing market. LPHAs provide housing to about a quarter of all Austrian households, the majority of which for rent. Please see the attachment for our contribution to the Call for Evidence.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Standardisation Regulation
15 Jul 2025
Bei der von der Kommission genannten Zielsetzung, Normungsprozesse schneller und leichter zugänglich zu machen, insbesondere für KMU und Start-Up-Unternehmen ist unbedingt auf die Ausgewogenheit bei der Mitwirkung aller interessierten Kreise (Interessensträger) zu achten und diese sicherzustellen, damit ein gut abgestimmtes und ausgeglichenes Normungsergebnis möglich wird. Für die Zugänglichkeit der Normenmitarbeit ist eine Unterstützung der EU zielführend, um auch Unternehmen mit geringeren personellen Ressourcen die Möglichkeit der Teilhabe am Normungsprozess zu ermöglichen im Sinne der Chancengleichheit und Stärkung des Binnenmarkts. Weiters ist ein erleichterter Zugang zu den Normen selbst unabdingbar für einen fairen Wettbewerb. Daher sollten Diskriminierungen eines Branchenverbands aufgrund seiner Nichtmitgliedschaft in einer großen Wirtschaftsvertretungsorganisation beim vergünstigten Zugang bzw. gleich günstigen Zugang zu den nationalen Normen nicht erlaubt sein. Preiswerte Branchenlösungen für alle Wirtschaftszweige sind erforderlich.
Read full responseResponse to European Affordable Housing Plan
2 Jun 2025
A strong presence of non-speculative housing ensures affordability and stability We welcome the ambition to improve housing affordability and the plan the put forward a European Affordable Housing Plan. Austria has one of the largest shares of households living in non-speculative housing across Europe. Around a quarter of the population live in homes provided by limited-profit housing associations (LPHAs) and by municipal housing companies. These homes are open to broad segments of the population and are the backbone of good social mixing and social inclusion of neighbourhoods. Cost-based rental calculations ensure that these homes are both affordable and financially viable in the long-term. Surpluses are reinvested into the construction of new affordable housing (revolving fund) and create efficiency savings to households and state budgets. For the purpose of this Call for Evidence we want to highlight two recent studies on the Limited-Profit Housing sector that demonstrate and quantify the economic impacts of affordable housing on individual households and state budgets. These studies were conducted by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research Institute WIFO (2021 and 2023). The Economic Impacts and Price-Dampening Effect of Limited-Profit Housing LPHAs in Austria provide housing for approximately one in six households nationwide, with their share rising to around one quarter in urban areas. This corresponds to an average of 40% of the rental market. Cost-based rents in this segment send a strong price signal to the broader housing market. They not only benefit LPHA tenants directly but also exert a dampening effect on for-profit rents. A recent study has evidenced that for every 10 % share of cost-based housing added to the rental market, for-profit rents fall by 40 Euro cent per square metre per month. Assuming a linear effect, a 40% market share of cost-based rental housing as found in many Austrian cities would correspond to a dampening effect of approximately 1.60 per sqm per month. This equals a rent reduction of around 15%, based on average private market rents. While this effect depends on local market conditions, the underlying dynamic is clear: a strong cost-based sector puts downward pressure on overall rent levels. The wide availability of cost-based rents to broad sections of the population and the access to loans from regional authorities to all market participants means that limited-profit and for-profit providers are in direct competition. As the quality of LPHA-housing is in general higher for comparable market segments, the housing offer by LPHA is in high demand. Socially mixed neighbourhoods are inherent to this system, which is targeted at middle- as well as low-income households. This system fosters social and economic integration and avoids segregation of households based on income and economic wealth. The economic implications go even further, hence if some housing providers do not maximise profits but simply recover their costs plus a limited surplus (base rent) after repayment of the initial loans, the associated tenants have more money left at the end of each month and their purchasing power rises. In the Austrian context it has been calculated that the average gain per household amounts to almost 2,000 per year. Macroeconomically, this leads to a higher GDP and higher investment, as evidenced in the aforementioned study by WIFO. Our recommendation We recommend that the European Affordable Housing Plan support non-speculative, limited-profit housing by improving access to European Investment Bank (EIB) financing. Clear loan conditions ensure effective public fund use, while backing not-for-profit actors helps safeguard against a return to for-profit models. The Austrian example shows that inclusive targeting across income groups helps prevent segregation and social exclusion.
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