Senate decisions on housing construction: district mayor in dialogue

On Monday, 21. October 2024 , the mood on Barther Straße in Berlin-Lichtenberg! Members of the district administration and the Senate are in a heated debate about the balance of power in Berlin construction. Pankows district mayor Dr. Cordelia Koch (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and Lichtenbergs Martin Schaefer (CDU) meet directly on site to gain clarity about the role of the Senate in urban development.

"The districts are the experts for their areas!" Said the urgent voice of Dr. Cordelia Koch. She emphasizes that local authorities have the best knowledge of the infrastructure and needs of the citizens. But more and more, the Senate intervenes in the decisions of the districts! Particularly explosive: The construction project of the Howoge, which is to create around 100 new residential units, is up for debate. The Pankow district administration finds it unable to appreciate it and thus sees itself snatched from its authority. Koch compares the situation with a controversial project in her district, where the Senate supports Gesobau to build green courtyards in the heart of Pankows. A clear cry for more respect for the districts!

a struggle for meaning and influence

On the other side of the chess board, Martin Schaefer, district mayor of Lichtenberg. He knows that the Senate has the right to intervene when it comes to projects of "overall city importance". But what does that really mean? Schaefer questions whether residential construction with 100 units actually falls into this category. "This seems more of a clever move to enforce a possibly controversial project," he explains. A sharp contrast to the point of view of Dr. Cook!

The debate is much more than just a few new apartments. This is about power, the visions for the city and the question: Who is in the saying in Berlin urban development? The words of the two district mayors are a clear call to attention: Can the districts continue to play out their expertise in construction, or are they disillusioned and disembodied?