The German city of Dresden plans to restrict short-term rental of apartments to tourists. The building councilor, Kühn (Greens), estimates that the measure could reactivate around 700 apartments for long-term rental. The regulation excludes commercial spaces already classified as such. The initiative seeks to alleviate pressure on a real estate market strained by the higher profitability of tourist rentals.
The algorithm that maps housing scarcity 🏘️
To enforce the regulation, the use of urban data analysis tools that cross-reference tourist license records with resident registries is planned. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) will allow identifying areas with a high concentration of vacation rentals and low supply of traditional rentals. The goal is to prioritize neighborhoods where tourist pressure reduces availability for residents. This technology is already used in cities like Barcelona or Amsterdam to detect irregularities and plan housing policies.
The owner cries, but with 500-euro bills 💸
Owners of tourist apartments argue that the measure infringes on their business freedom. What they don't say is that their freedom is based on charging 150 euros per night for a studio they previously rented for 600 euros per month. Now they will have to choose between crying over lost income or accepting a traditional contract. No one should worry: surely they will find comfort in the 700 apartments returning to the residential market.