Jennifer Scherer travels to Vienna, one of the most livable cities in the world, to find out how Vienna's unique system of social housing has created a paradise for tenants. Credit: SBS Dateline
Rising rents and fewer vacant apartments — the housing crisis is continuing to worsen in Australia. Internationally, one city is often mentioned as a possible alternative model: Vienna. The Austrian capital has been regarded as a pioneer in social housing for decades, with around half of the population there having access to subsidized housing. In her new dateline report “Vienna: A Renters' Paradise,” SBS journalist Jennifer Scherer examined how this system works and why Vienna is often referred to as a “tenant paradise.” In an interview, she explains what is behind the Vienna housing model — and whether countries like Australia could learn from it.
Rising rents and fewer vacant apartments — the housing crisis is continuing to worsen in Australia. Internationally, one city is often mentioned as a possible alternative model: Vienna. The Austrian capital has been regarded as a pioneer in social housing for decades, with around half of the population there having access to subsidized housing. In her new dateline report “Vienna: A Renters' Paradise,” SBS journalist Jennifer Scherer examined how this system works and why Vienna is often referred to as a “tenant paradise.” In an interview, she explains what is behind the Vienna housing model — and whether countries like Australia could learn from it.