Editing Willy Brandt (section)

==== Housing and urban development ====
In the field of housing, various measures were carried out to benefit householders, such as improving the rights of tenants and increasing rental assistance. According to the Rent Subsidies Act (Wohngeldgesetz) of 1970, "low-income tenants and owners of accommodations are supported with rents and burdens subsidies".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aEhDAQAAIAAJ&q=1970|title=Social security, how it works in the Federal Republic of Germany|first=Rolf|last=Neuhaus|date=1 January 1979|publisher=Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung|via=Google Books}}</ref> The determination of the income of families taken into consideration for housing allowances was simplified,<ref name="aei.pitt.edu">{{cite web|url=http://aei.pitt.edu/32294/ |title=Expose sur l'evolution de la situation sociale dans le Communaute en 1970 (joint au Quatrieme rapport general sur l'activite des Communautes) = Report on the development of the social situation in the Community in 1970 (annex to the Fourth general report on the activities of the Community). February 1971 – Archive of European Integration |website=Aei.pitt.edu |year = 1971|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref> and increased levels of protection and support for low-income tenants and householders were introduced,<ref name="Radice"/> which led to a drop in the number of eviction notices. By 1974, three times as much was paid out in rent subsidies as in 1969, and nearly one and a half million households received rental assistance.<ref name="autogenerated7">{{harvp|Schmidt|1982}}</ref> Increases were made in public housing subsidies,<ref>{{harvp|Patton|1999}}</ref> as characterised by a 36% increase in the social housing budget in 1970<ref name="Prittie"/> and by the introduction of a programme for the construction of 200,000 public housing units (1971).<ref>{{harvp|Bezelga|Brandon|1991}}</ref> From 1970 to 1971, an 18.1% increase in building permits for social housing units was made.<ref name="chroniknet.de">{{cite web |url=http://www.chroniknet.de/indx_de.0.html?article=259111&year=1971 |title=1971 – Frischer Wind durch innere Reformen der Bonner Koalition – chroniknet Artikel und private Fotos |publisher=Chroniknet.de |date=29 May 1977 |access-date=14 November 2012 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923230026/http://www.chroniknet.de/indx_de.0.html?article=259111&year=1971 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other reforms aimed at improving tenants' rights included protection against conversion of rental housing into condominiums, the prohibition of the misappropriation of living space, new regulation of the apartment broker system, and a fee scale for engineers and architects. In addition, the income limits for eligibility for social housing were raised and adapted in order of general income trends.<ref name="archive.org"/>

A loose form of rent regulation was introduced under the name of ''Vergleichmieten'' (comparable rents),<ref>{{harvp|Power|2002}}</ref> together with the provision of "for family-friendly housing" freight or rent subsidies to owners of apartments or houses whose ceiling had been adapted to increased expenses or incomes (1970).<ref name="digam.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.digam.net/dokument.php?ID=9019&PHPSESSID=23da32f4275c4cbefc5d9395393ba4cf |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221105943/http://www.digam.net/dokument.php?ID=9019&PHPSESSID=23da32f4275c4cbefc5d9395393ba4cf |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 February 2013 |title=Digitales Archiv Marburg – Das DigAM Projekt |publisher=Digam.net |date=28 October 1969 |access-date=14 November 2012 }}</ref> In addition, a law for the creation of property for workers was passed, under which a married worker would normally keep up to 95% of his pay, and graded tax remission for married wage-earners applied up to a wage of 48,000 marks, which indicated the economic prosperity of West Germany at that time.<ref name="Prittie"/> The Town Planning Act (1971) encouraged the preservation of historical heritage and helped open up the way to the future of many German cities,<ref name="MyLife"/> while the Urban Renewal Act (1971) helped the states to restore their inner cities and to develop new neighbourhoods.<ref>{{harvp|Kommers|1997|p=93}}</ref> In addition, the Guidelines of December 1972 on the usage of federal funds in assisting social housing construction laid down that a certain standard needed to be observed when building homes for severely disabled persons.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite web|url=http://aei.pitt.edu/36404/1/A2595.pdf |title=Comparative study on the Rehabilitation of Handicapped Persons in the Countries of the Community |website=Aei.pitt.edu |access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref>

The Second Housing Allowance Law of December 1970 simplified the administration of housing allowances and extended entitlements, increased the income limit to 9,600 DM per year plus 2,400 DM for each family member, raised the general deduction on income to determine reckonable income from 15% to 20%, allowance rates listed in tables replacing complicated calculation procedure based on "bearable rent burdens".<ref name="Flora"/> The Housing Construction Modification Law (1971) increased the income-limit for access to low rent apartments under the social housing programme from 9,000 DM to 12,000 DM per annum plus 3,000 DM (instead of 2,400) for each family member. The law also introduced special subsidies to reduce the debt burden for builders not surpassing the regular income-limit by more than 40%. Under a 1973 law, the limits were increased to 1,000 DM plus 9,000 DM and 4,200 DM for additional family members.<ref name="Flora"/> The Rent Improvement Law (1971) strengthened the position of tenants. Under this legislation, notice was to be ruled illegal "where appropriate substitute accommodation not available; landlords obliged to specify reasons for notice",<ref name="Flora"/> whilst the Eviction Protection Law (1971) established tenant protection against rent rises and notice. The notice was only lawful if in the "justified interest of the landlord". Under this law, higher rents were not recognised as "justified interest".<ref name="Flora"/> The Second Eviction Protection Law (1972) made the tenant protection introduced under the Eviction Protection Law of 1971 permanent. Under this new law, the notice was only lawful where the landlord proved a justified personal interest in the apartment. In addition, rent increases were only lawful if they were not above normal comparable rents in the same area.<ref name="Flora"/>

Directives on the housing of foreign workers came into force in April 1971. These directives imposed certain requirements for space, hygiene, safety, and amenities in the accommodations offered by employers. That same year, the Federal Government granted a sum of 17 million DM to the Länder for the improvement and modernization of housing built before 21 June 1948.<ref name="aei.pitt_a" /> In addition, according to a 1971 regulation of the Board of the Federal Labour Office, "construction of workers' hostels qualified for government financial support under certain conditions".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qdRx7qLF8KIC&pg=PA58|title=Muslims in the West: From Sojourners to Citizens|first=Yvonne Yazbeck|last=Haddad|date=11 April 2002|publisher=Oxford University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780198033752}}</ref> The "German Council for town development", which was set up by virtue of Article 89 of a law to foster urban building, was partly aimed at planning a favourable environment for families (such as the provision of playgrounds). In 1971, the Federal Labour Office made available DM 425 million in the form of loans to provide 157,293 beds in 2,494 hostels. A year later, the Federal Government (Bund), the Lander and the Federal Labour Office promoted the construction of dwellings for migrant workers. They set aside 10 million DM for this purpose, which allowed the financing of 1650 family dwellings that year.<ref name="aei.pitt" />

Development measures were begun in 1972 with federal financial aid granted to the Lander for improvement measures relating to towns and villages, and in the 1972 budget, DM 50 million was earmarked, i.e. a third of the total cost of some 300 schemes. A council for urban development was formed in May 1972 with the purpose of promoting future work and measures in the field of urban renovation.<ref name="aei.pitt" /> In 1973, the government provided assistance of DM 28 million for the modernisation of old dwellings.<ref name="aei.pitt_b" /> New rules were introduced regarding improvements in the law relating to rented property, and control of the rise in rents and protection against cancellation of leases also safeguarded the rights of migrant workers in the sphere of housing.<ref name="aei.pitt" /> A law of July 1973 fixed the fundamental and minimum requirements regarding workers' dwellings, mainly concerning space, ventilation and lighting, protection against damp, heat and noise, power and heating facilities and sanitary installations.<ref name="aei.pitt_b" />