Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

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

A blonde woman stands in front of a large apartment complex with metallic statues adorning the walls.

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.


Discover more stories, interviews, and news from SBS German in our podcast collection.


Share

Follow SBS German

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

German News

Watch it onDemand

Watch now