Vienna's social housing concept: A solution for the housing crisis?

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.

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

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'Watch Vienna: A Renters' Paradise on SBS Dateline, Tuesday 17 March, 9.30pm and on SBS On Demand?