Court orders 215 Europacity flats rented as social housing

A Berlin court on 10 October 2026 ruled that 215 apartments in the prestigious Europacity development behind Hauptbahnhof must be rented out as social housing. Judges found that the developer had displayed a 'high degree of recklessness' by failing to honour obligations tied to subsidies and planning approvals meant to secure affordable units in one of the city's most expensive new neighbourhoods. The decision is a landmark win for tenant advocates and the Berlin Senate, which has for years sought to force compliance in the Europacity quarter, where glass-fronted towers rise beside the Spree. The ruling means the flats cannot be rented at market rates and must instead be offered under rent caps to households with a housing entitlement certificate. Housing policy experts quoted by the Tagesspiegel called the verdict a potential precedent for other large-scale developments where social obligations have been quietly weakened. Residents' initiatives in Moabit welcomed the news as a rare success in Berlin's ongoing fight over gentrification and affordability.