Construction manager from Berlin about rents, citizens' money and family life

Construction manager from Berlin about rents, citizens' money and family life

In the early morning of September 2nd, 2025, in a Späti in Britz, Berlin, a 34-year-old construction manager talks about the challenges of living and working in the capital. With cigarettes in his hand, which he bought after visiting his mother to deliver flour and milk, he sets off to have coffee with a friend. His role as head of a construction company operating in Brandenburg often puts him in charge of projects such as the construction of terraced houses and branches for a large supermarket chain.

Although he often works in remote locations and only returns on Friday or Saturday, the construction manager is well informed about the high rent situation in Berlin. An example he gives are five rooms that are rented out for 1,800 euros. He has a large family; both his parents come from Lebanon and he has a total of 11 siblings. He is somewhat ambivalent about the current perception of Neukölln: he finds the district to be quieter compared to earlier times.

Criticism of citizens' money and social issues

The construction manager also expresses his concerns about citizens' money. He thinks it could discourage people from looking for work. According to his statements, the lowest employee in his company earns 3,100 euros gross, while he criticizes the citizen's allowance as an incentive for not working. This leads him further to the so-called social problems that he sees related to crime and drug dealing, especially among people without work permits.

Citizens' benefit, which has replaced unemployment benefit II (Hartz IV) since 2023, aims to ensure a humane subsistence level. The benefits include standard monthly rates as well as costs for accommodation and heating. During the first 12 months of receiving citizen's benefit, recipients are allowed to stay in their apartments, regardless of the appropriateness of the housing costs. The standard rate for single people will be increased to 563 euros from 2024, with the allowance for assets during the maternity leave period being up to 40,000 euros, which will continue to apply for families as long as asset limits are not exceeded, as [berlin.de] explains.

European comparison of social systems

In international comparison, Germany offers a comparatively high level of basic security. While citizen's benefit in Germany offers comprehensive benefits, the social systems in Europe vary greatly. For example, a single person in Austria receives up to 1,156 euros, while in Poland the basic security is significantly lower at just 160 euros. In countries like Italy, basic security has even been abolished, which increases the challenges for many people, as reported on [buerger-geld.org].

In conclusion, the construction manager's statements not only address individual pain points, but also point to larger societal issues that shape the debate about work incentives and social security in Germany. However, the question remains as to what measures can be taken to improve the situation for both employers and benefit recipients.