The representatives of Prague approved the housing development strategy.

Prague – By 2030, at least 9,000 apartments should be built annually in Prague, with the city itself responsible for constructing 500 of them. This is outlined in the housing development strategy approved today by Prague representatives. The strategy was criticized primarily by representatives of ANO, who argued that the document is insufficient, lacks ambition, and brings nothing new. Prague has been grappling with a housing crisis and ever-increasing housing prices in recent years.

The document was prepared by the city's Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). According to Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček (for TOP 09), it is based on several fundamental principles, including the city's effort not to sell land suitable for construction and to foster the best possible cooperation with private builders. "It is important that the city clearly declares in the document that it will no longer continue privatizing its housing stock," added councilman Adam Zábranský (Pirates).

According to the document, the city plans to strengthen its own construction efforts and also collaborate with private entities, whether they are development companies, construction cooperatives, or smaller civic associations known in Germany as baugruppe. By 2030, the strategy aims for socially excluded areas to be completely eradicated from the metropolis, and for the number of children living in shelters and hostels for an extended period to drop to zero.

From approximately 3,250 homeless people in 2019, their number is expected to decrease by a quarter, and from an estimated 9,800 households in acute housing need in 2018, the city aims to reduce that number to a maximum of 5,000. Additionally, the number of apartments for people in need, seniors, the disabled, or public benefit professionals is also expected to increase.

"The proposed implementation of 9,000 new apartments per year does not even represent the minimum necessary to meet the natural population increase," criticized the document by opposition representative Ondřej Prokop (ANO). He added that he finds the strategy too vague and lacking in a description of funding for construction. "It is inadequate and does not address the crisis, and it needs to be revised," he summarized. His colleague Radek Lacko (ANO) added that he sees nothing new in the document.

Councilwoman Hana Marvanová (STAN) responded by stating that the strategy is intended to summarize general principles and goals. "It represents a framework that should be further developed based on action plans," she said. According to her, the construction target was established based on realistic estimates. "What would be the use if there were absolutely unrealistic and unattainable objectives?" she remarked.

"The material summarizes the very fundamental issues and can be perceived in a certain metaphor as a helm that we have turned and set a new course," said the chair of the housing committee Pavel Zelenka (Prague Yours). He added that work on preparing subsequent action plans will begin immediately. Hlaváček added that the city will also prepare a special document to examine funding models for construction in cooperation with the private sector.

In 2019, the municipal housing stock, including apartments owned by the magistrate and city districts, consisted of about 31,500 apartments, and according to the strategy, this number should increase to at least 35,000 by 2030. According to a KPMG analysis from 2018, 194,000 apartments transferred to the ownership of Prague after 1991. The shortage of apartments and rising housing prices is one of the most discussed problems currently confronting the metropolis. Over the past decade, the magistrate has not built any new apartments, and only a limited number of apartments have been constructed by city districts.