Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
Vonovia chief rejects Berlin housing takeover plans and backs more construction
Berlin’s Left party has won an election and wants to bring the housing stock of all for-profit property companies in the city into public ownership.
The plan would affect Vonovia, Europe’s largest property company and Berlin’s biggest private landlord.
Vonovia owns about 130,000 homes in the capital, and its chief executive, Luka Mucic, says the company is not leaving.
He says about 1,000 homes are being built in Berlin.
Mucic argues that taking homes into public ownership would not solve the housing shortage and could discourage investment and new construction.
He says building more homes could do more to ease pressure on the market.
Mucic is due to discuss the issue with Left party leader Luigi Pantisano on October 13.
Vonovia chief executive Luka Mucic rejected plans to transfer large private landlords’ Berlin housing into public ownership.
He said the company remains committed to Berlin and has about 1,000 apartments under construction there.
Mucic argued that building more homes would ease pressure on the housing market more effectively than expropriation.
He said expropriation would not solve the housing shortage and could pose risks to investment and new construction.
The dispute has sharpened after the Left’s election victory in Berlin, according to Handelsblatt.
- Who
- Vonovia chief executive Luka Mucic and the Left, whose Berlin leader is Luigi Pantisano.
- What
- Mucic rejects plans to transfer the housing stock of large private property companies into public ownership and argues for more construction.
- When
- Handelsblatt published the interview on 13 October 2026. A meeting with Pantisano was scheduled for 13 October.
- Where
- Berlin, Germany.
- Why
- The Left’s plans target large private landlords, while Mucic says expropriation would not resolve the housing shortage and could discourage investment and construction.
Vonovia
The Left
Policy
Vonovia
Mucic opposes transferring large private landlords’ Berlin housing into public ownership.
The Left
The Left plans to transfer the housing stock of profit-oriented property companies in Berlin into public ownership.
How to address the housing shortage
Vonovia
Mucic says building more homes can have a stronger effect on the market than expropriation.
The Left
The sources do not state the Left’s view on construction as a solution.
Luka Mucic has led Vonovia.
The party’s plans to transfer large private landlords’ housing into public ownership became a focus for the property sector.
Handelsblatt published its interview with Mucic.
Mucic was due to meet Left leader Luigi Pantisano to discuss the issue.
- Berlin apartments under construction
- About 1,000
- Vonovia apartments in Berlin
- About 130,000
- Vonovia workforce involved in apartment maintenance
- 5,000 tradespeople
- Vonovia customer satisfaction
- 77.5%
- Mucic’s start as Vonovia chief executive
- Early 2026
What people are saying
Around 1,000 apartments are under construction in Berlin.
New apartments can have a higher dampening effect on the market than expropriation.
Expropriation would not solve the housing shortage.
Sources
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