<p><a href="https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_011314.html" rel="noreferrer">This article</a> and <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vienna-affordable-housing-paradise_n_5b4e0b12e4b0b15aba88c7b0" rel="noreferrer">this article</a> report on Vienna's social housing market. Rent controlled since 1917 and now publicly owned.</p>

<p>What are the relative pros and cons from an economic standpoint of such a policy? How's it working there?</p>

<p>Why is it apparently unique in the world? What are the barriers to copying its successes elsewhere? What, if any, are its failures?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T14:06:01.537Z
One could ask, from an economics perspective, why should rents in Vienna be half (per sq.m) what they are in Budapest... (approx 5.5 vs 11 euros). The dubious answer I received on politics SE [on a similar question](https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/50540/is-the-cap-on-rental-prices-in-berlin-lower-than-the-average-price-in-some-easte) is that a city should only compare with itself...
fantastic peace and prosperity
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T14:19:41.037Z
On the "not a plus" side, it doesn't seem to shield you from a housing bubble in the remaining private sector. https://www.reuters.com/article/austria-economy-cenbank/austrias-hot-housing-market-warrants-scrutiny-central-bank-says-idUSL8N28C1LM
fantastic peace and prosperity
<social-welfare>
What are the pros and cons of Vienna's publicly owned social housing market?
FreeMarketUnicorn
# What are the pros and cons of Vienna's publicly owned social housing market?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-03-03)

[This article](https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_011314.html) and [this article](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vienna-affordable-housing-paradise_n_5b4e0b12e4b0b15aba88c7b0) report on Vienna's social housing market. Rent controlled since 1917 and now publicly owned.

What are the relative pros and cons from an economic standpoint of such a policy? How's it working there?

Why is it apparently unique in the world? What are the barriers to copying its successes elsewhere? What, if any, are its failures?

**Tags:** social-welfare

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: One could ask, from an economics perspective, why should rents in Vienna be half (per sq.m) what they are in Budapest... (approx 5.5 vs 11 euros). The dubious answer I received on politics SE [on a similar question](https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/50540/is-the-cap-on-rental-prices-in-berlin-lower-than-the-average-price-in-some-easte) is that a city should only compare with itself...  
> **username_1**: On the "not a plus" side, it doesn't seem to shield you from a housing bubble in the remaining private sector. https://www.reuters.com/article/austria-economy-cenbank/austrias-hot-housing-market-warrants-scrutiny-central-bank-says-idUSL8N28C1LM  

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## 0 answers

