Hamburg Aims to Transform Vacant Offices into Housing: New Model Projects Underway
Hamburg, February 15, 2026 – As Hamburg grapples with a persistent housing shortage, the city’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Green Party are launching new model projects to convert vacant office spaces into much-needed residential units. This initiative comes as approximately six percent of office spaces in Hamburg were empty at the end of last year, a trend that is reportedly increasing.
The transformation of commercial properties into living spaces has long been a complex endeavor. Historically, the primary obstacle has been the disparity in building regulations between commercial and residential properties. Residential buildings typically face stricter and different requirements, making conversions costly and time-consuming.
Regulatory Hurdles Eased to Facilitate Conversions
In response to these challenges, Hamburg has recently streamlined many of its regulations. For instance, a ladder attached to the exterior of a building is now deemed sufficient as a second escape route, easing a significant hurdle for conversions.
However, despite these regulatory adjustments, the drastically increased construction costs have emerged as a new impediment to such transformations. To circumvent these financial barriers, the SPD and Green parties in the Bürgerschaft (Hamburg Parliament) are pushing for new model projects.
