Chur voters to weigh rival affordable housing plans

Chur voters will decide on November 29 whether to require a share of new housing to be rented at cost-based rates, or to adopt a narrower counterproposal, SRF reports. The city government is to prepare the legal basis for either option within two years.

The initiative calls for one-third of the residential floor space newly built in the city each year to be rented at cost-based rates. Under this model, tenants pay only the costs incurred, rather than a rent set according to the market. The proposal aims to address housing shortages and increase the supply of affordable homes.

The initiative was put forward by a committee including the Social Democratic Party, the Free List, the Greens, the Green Liberal Party, housing cooperatives and the tenants’ association. SP city councillor Barbara Rimml said the proposal would not interfere with private property: the city could lease municipal land to private organisations, such as non-profit cooperatives, which would then rent homes at cost.

Opponents say the initiative does not limit the requirement to municipal land, leaving uncertainty over what rules might later be introduced. A centre-right alliance of the Swiss People’s Party, the Centre and the Free Democratic Party backs a counterproposal that would apply the one-third requirement only to city-owned land. It calls for affordable housing under federal housing-promotion rules, rather than specifically requiring cost-based rents.

Chur FDP president Marco Lütscher said new rules or compulsory measures could create uncertainty, delay projects and deter investors from building new housing. The city parliament narrowly recommends rejecting the initiative and approving the counterproposal, by 11 votes to 10.

Chur’s vacancy rate is below 0.25%, and Graubünden has fewer empty homes than the Swiss average. Voters will also decide on the abolition of retirement benefits for city councillors who leave office before retirement age, increased operating funding for Theater Chur, and a proposal to turn the Chur-Sand power plant corporation into an independent public-law institution.