HOUSING INITIATIVE: AROUND 450 NEW APARTMENTS FOR VILLACH
Villach is continuously growing. With a population increase of 0.5 percent last year, the city is above the Austrian average of 0.2 percent. Overall, more than 66,000 people already live in Villach, about 6,000 more than ten years ago.
One notable trend is the household structure: An above-average number of people live alone in the city. This development further increases the demand for smaller, affordable housing units and intensifies pressure on the housing market.
COUNTERMEASURES THROUGH SUBSIDIZED HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
Rising construction and living costs, as well as high inflation, have caused housing costs to increase significantly in recent years. The city is therefore focusing specifically on subsidized housing construction as the most important countermeasure.
The city provides land to housing associations at favorable conditions, supported by subsidies from the state of Carinthia. This results in apartments whose rents are significantly lower than those on the private market. The goal is to reduce market pressure while strengthening social fairness.
CONCRETE PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY
Numerous construction projects are currently being implemented or prepared. On Millesistraße, existing buildings belonging to "meine Heimat" (a housing association) are being extended upwards – creating a total of 24 additional apartments here. In St. Magdalen, 35 apartments including an underground car park are being built, around 75 in St. Leonhard, and another 24 residential units in Maria Gail. An additional 12 apartments are also planned in St. Martin. Overall, more than 60 million euros are being invested in new housing as part of the housing initiative.
A special project will be implemented in Landskron starting in autumn 2026: A vacant former supermarket branch on Dr.-Karl-Renner-Straße will be demolished and replaced by 25 to 30 subsidized apartments. This avoids the need for additional land, and the existing infrastructure, such as district heating and electricity, can be directly reused.
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS
Another focus of the housing initiative is on subsidized home ownership. As part of a "meine Heimat" project in Völkendorf, 111 condominiums are being built, which can be offered significantly cheaper than on the open market thanks to public funding. The price per square meter is around 4,000 euros – compared to an average of about 5,000 euros or more in Villach. For a 70-square-meter apartment, this results in savings of up to 100,000 euros. Demand is correspondingly high: Almost half of the apartments are already reserved.
A STRONG SIGNAL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
With the current housing initiative, Villach is sending a clear message: Targeted investments, close cooperation with cooperatives, and strong public funding are creating affordable living space for many people – and doing so in a city that continues to grow.