Politics · Switzerland · 13 hrs ago
Study points to regional planning and subsidies to ease Switzerland’s housing shortage
Switzerland’s housing shortage has no single solution, according to a study commissioned by the Federal Office for Spatial Development.
Researchers at the Technical University of Vienna compared the urban areas of Lille, Salzburg, Hannover, Munich and Ghent, where housing is also scarce.
The study found that subsidies can encourage municipalities to provide more homes, while penalties alone may lead them to pay fines instead of meeting targets.
The European areas studied use regional housing policies, while Swiss municipalities generally make decisions separately.
Property expert Vincent Clapasson said limits on short-term rentals could help in some Swiss city centres, such as Zurich and Geneva, but not necessarily elsewhere.
He also said more regional coordination or centralization could help Switzerland address the shortage.
The study suggests involving affected people and making projects more socially and environmentally acceptable to reduce objections, while wider use of subsidies would depend on finding funding.
A study commissioned by Switzerland’s Federal Office for Spatial Development compared housing policies in five European agglomerations facing housing shortages.
It found that subsidies can encourage municipalities to meet housing targets by helping fund infrastructure for growing populations.
The study also found that the compared agglomerations use regional housing policies, while Swiss municipalities generally act individually.
Wüest Partner’s Vincent Clapasson said regional coordination and some centralisation could help ease Switzerland’s shortage.
The study found no single solution, and Clapasson said restrictions on short-term rentals could be relevant in parts of Zurich and Geneva.
- Who
- The Federal Office for Spatial Development commissioned the study. Vincent Clapasson of Wüest Partner commented on its findings.
- What
- A study compared policies that could help address housing shortages and identified subsidies and regional coordination as possible approaches.
- When
- SRF published its article on 9 November 2026. The cited RTS interview aired on 6 November 2026.
- Where
- The study compared the agglomerations of Lille, Salzburg, Hannover, Munich and Ghent; it discusses possible lessons for Switzerland.
- Why
- The study examined ways to respond to housing shortages. It found no single solution.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
RTS aired an interview with Vincent Clapasson about the study’s findings.
SRF published an article summarising the study and Clapasson’s comments.
- Commissioning body
- Switzerland’s Federal Office for Spatial Development
- Research institution
- Vienna University of Technology
- Compared agglomerations
- Lille, Salzburg, Hannover, Munich and Ghent
- Possible incentive
- Subsidies can help municipalities fund infrastructure for a growing population
- Regional example
- Geneva works on spatial planning with neighbouring France and the Vaud agglomeration
What people are saying
In some city centres, such as Zurich or Geneva, something like this would be interesting. Elsewhere, not necessarily.
What matters today above all is cohesion and public support for such projects.