Historic downtown properties in Rostock, Germany, acquired for €650,000 to accommodate the punk community.
The city government of Rostock, Germany, has made a surprising move by acquiring two historic houses located near the Petri church. The acquisition, announced by Rostock Mayor Eva Kroger on September 12, aims to prevent gentrification and protect alternative forms of living.
The houses, built in 1906, have been the home of a group of 16 punks for some time. However, neighbours in the area have expressed concerns about noise, heaps of rubbish, and smoke from fire barrels. An online poll among Rostock residents revealed that 61% were against the acquisition.
Despite the opposition, the city government purchased the houses for €650,000. No information on the envisioned purchase price or the sources of financing has been made public. It is worth noting that a budget freeze has been in place since July, limiting expenditure for sports, culture, and similar fields, due to the city government facing an estimated deficit of €63 million this year.
The city will soon sell the houses to a non-profit association that the punks are in the process of founding. Rostock Mayor Eva Kroger's decision has not been without criticism. Chris Guenther, the leader of the Conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Rostock, has labelled the acquisition an unprecedented scandal and a waste of taxpayer money. The Rostock CDU and the Liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) have attempted to stop the house purchase by appealing to the State administration of Mecklenburg.
Mecklenburg, run by a left-wing coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Die Linke, approved the transaction, stating that providing affordable housing for the population is a responsibility of local authorities. Renovations for the houses might cost several hundred thousand euros more, adding to the city's financial burden.
The long-standing project of Rostock Mayor Eva Kroger was first announced in April 2024. The goal of the transaction is to ensure that the punks can continue living in the houses, preserving an alternative community in the heart of Rostock's historic city centre.
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