Case study report - Vienna

An extract from Deliverable 5.1, ‘Case study reports on green transition initiatives and their impact on housing inequalities,’ of the ReHousIn project

Vienna, with a population of 2,028,289 residents as of 1 January 2025, is not only the largest city in Austria but also a central node in the country’s economy and urban system. As the national capital, Vienna is a key hub for services, culture, administration and international connectivity and hosts a bit more than one-fifth of Austria’s population. Politically, since 1945, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) has continuously been in power. In the last regional elections, the party secured 39.4 % of the vote in the April 2025, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) more than doubled its share to around 20.4 %. In contrast to the national average, the Viennese housing market is dominated by the rental segment, with 78% of the population renting their apartments. The housing system in Vienna is characterised by a multi-segment structure comprising a large, publicly regulated social housing sector, a subsidised limited-profit cooperative segment, and a private market rental and owner-occupier segment. For decades, the city has maintained a substantial municipal housing stock (Gemeindebau) alongside limited‐profit associations (LPHA) that build and manage housing under tight cost‐rent regulation.