Does the real estate market increasingly force more families to build?

So I also see it that not everyone can demand to find an affordable apartment or even a house for themselves in every major German city. However, if it comes to the point that, for example, not even police officers who are supposed to ensure safety in the respective city can live in that city, urgent action must be taken. Nurses, etc. also have this problem. With hairdressers, for example, I would see it more like this: either the wealthy people in the cities have to live with the fact that there are no hairdressers near the city center anymore or they have to pay prices for their haircut that leave enough money for the hairdresser to be able to live nearby. Unfortunately, all of this with the self-regulating market etc. currently does not work at all...

So we thought that with the increasing demand, the city might offer a subsidy, so that it would be worthwhile. Nothing at all! All nonsense. Nobody receives a bit of support.

The funding with loans and grants primarily helps the market, but does not solve a problem. The more grants, the higher the prices rise.

when it comes to the question of whether Father State is responsible for everyone having affordable housing in the big city...

The question is not productive, as it is posed materially and not socially.
Affordable housing must be available everywhere in order to maintain a society peacefully in the long term. Should caregivers, waiters, kindergarten teachers, clerks, bakery salespersons... all commute 50 km so that the financial elite in the city can keep their comfort?
The state must intervene on several levels. Social housing construction is one component (but please not in "silos"), influence on wage development another, tax policy a third, access to education a fourth...

Unfortunately, all of this with the self-regulating market etc. simply does not work at all at the moment...

This does not work self-regulating in principle. You can also read here in the forum what tricks people use to save and to go at or come at each other. Theoretically, everyone is considered if everyone only thinks of themselves. In practice...

Of course the state has to intervene when the place where the work is (from whose fruits taxes are derived) can no longer be lived in.

But space in the city is limited. If we keep building higher and wider, demand still does not decrease, as more and more people keep moving there. That’s when these million-people metropolises arise – a dubious ideal, if you ask me.

Should caregivers, waiters, kindergarten teachers, clerks, bakery salespeople... all commute 50km so that the financial elite can maintain their comfort in the city?

That’s exactly what happens – at least in our area. We live about 25 minutes from Leipzig. Just yesterday I read in the official gazette that expanding commuter trains will be a top priority in the coming years.

Social housing is one building block (but please not in “silos”),

But what else? As it is currently handled, it’s nonsense. Whoever tries to sugarcoat this, I would like to invite them to see the situation on site.

Influence on wage development is another, tax policy a third, access to education a fourth...

Well, maybe I’m too pessimistic. What influence has the state had on wages in the last – let’s say – 20 years? Are you suggesting the minimum wage is supposed to make housing affordable now?
We have plenty of education here in the East as well – but unfortunately, everyone moves back to Munich after their studies...

I stick to my point: not everyone can live in the city. The countryside has to become more attractive in terms of work, infrastructure, and social life. The rest has to commute.

What influence has the state had on wages in the last - let's say - 20 years?

Excuse me?

Gerhard Schröder, as Chancellor, massively influenced wages with his Agenda2010 – downwards! Alliance for Jobs to slow down wage development. Top-ups to create a low-wage sector. Both succeeded and together contributed massively to the Euro crisis.
Furthermore, pensions are being continuously deteriorated – these are also incomes. And then it is lied that this has to be due to demographics, and almost everyone believes it.

This course was and is being continued by the current government, garnished with the balanced budget ("black zero"). There are also wage rounds for millions of public employees.

Therefore: The state has a very massive influence on wages and this influence is exercised in the interest of the employers’ side. Especially in the last 20 years.

And as a result, there is a crisis in Europe, the central bank has to lower the interest rate to zero, and housing becomes expensive as a consequence. Which brings us back on topic.

Quite a few things come together here:#
1) Lack of space. Example Hamburg. Housing shortage. The Senate has therefore decided to dedicate the remaining space only to multi-family housing, the land goes to cooperatives or the municipally owned housing company. Whoever wants a single-family house practically finds nothing in Hamburg. One way or another. Both are not possible.
2) The police officer etc. It used to be common for the federal government, states, clinics, etc. to have company or employee apartments. Everything sold, privatized, how stupid was that!
Conclusion: If Bavaria wants there to be police officers in Munich, the Free State will probably have to build police apartments again. Nothing helps.
3) Take a look in the mirror. Demands also drive the price. The wife wants a dressing room, everyone who’s “I’m important” thinks they need a home office, even if it is only for gaming or ironing. Guest rooms, although guests never come, 4 people need 160 sqm city villas, a concentration camp of 9 sqm should be reported to the youth welfare office... and then everything is so expensive.
4) The demands also prevent industrialization in construction and thus cost reduction and increase of the hit rate. If a developer had four types, you choose one of them, you can only choose the color of the curtains, then totally different prices would be possible. Only... that is a horror for most people here. Karsten