Living together - new impetus for Jena's housing market

The city of Jena is responding to the growing interest in alternative forms of housing such as communal living. This form of housing is to be specifically promoted and made more visible.

To this end, the city commissioned the external office Stadtverwicklung gGmbH from Weimar in December 2025. The aim is to raise awareness of communal housing projects and to develop a specific property as part of a concept award. The call for proposals will be explicitly aimed at project groups that would like to realize a community housing project. Publication is planned for 2027 at the latest.

Aims of the project

"Community housing projects are characterized by high standards of sustainability and social mix. They often also create areas for the general public, such as community gardens or neighborhood meetings, which enhance the entire living environment," explains Lars Liebe, Head of Urban Development.

With this project, the city wants to provide new impetus for the Jena housing market and further strengthen the diversity of housing types. The commissioning of Stadtverwicklung gGmbH in December 2025 marks an important first step in this process.

Tasks of the commissioned office

The central tasks of the commissioned office include providing external process support and networking the various interest groups. Over the next two years, the city administration will be supported in identifying suitable public land and clarifying the legal and organizational framework conditions.

The subsequent awarding of the concept will be professionally supported by the office and implemented via the city's own municipal real estate company Kommunale Immobilien Jena (KIJ).

Background

Stadtverwicklung gGmbH is a non-profit organization based in Weimar. It supports municipalities, civil society initiatives and private sponsors in the development of urban and neighborhood projects oriented towards the common good. A particular focus is on supporting self-managed housing projects and designing participation processes.

With an interdisciplinary team from the fields of urban planning, architecture, sociology and economics, Stadtverwicklung supports projects from the initial idea through to implementation. This includes the development and moderation of participatory formats as well as support in the development of viable concepts. The organization has a nationwide network and extensive experience from the implementation of larger residential projects in Thuringia.