After 17 years, the Free State of Saxony is in again on renovation works in our student halls of residence: The Studentenwerk Leipzig receives 1.723 million euros for the renovation of the student hall of residence Straße des 18 Oktober.
The Free State of Saxony has granted the Studentenwerk Leipzig an amount of 1.723 million Euros for an investment in the student hall of residence Straße des 18. Oktober for 2020. These funds will be used for renovation and modernisation measures. The grant covers about half of the total amount required, the remaining amount will be covered by funds of the Studentenwerk.
House number 33, which accommodates around 200 students, is currently being renovated, primarily with regard to technical and sanitary facilities. We are also modernising kitchens, floors and furniture. The construction work, which started in March of this year, is expected to be completed by September 2020 so that the student hall of residence will be ready in time for the start of the 2020/21 winter semester.
Especially for students on a low budget, students recieving BAföG, first-year students and international students, the availability of affordable housing is an essential condition for equal opportunities. The Free State of Saxony's re-entry into the funding of modernisation measures for student halls of residence will enable us to maintain affordable rents. Without this state subsidy, we would have to finance the construction costs entirely from rental income, which would result in a considerable increase in renting prices.
Since the Studentenwerk Leipzig has not received any state funding for renovations in student halls of residence since 2003, all modernisation and renovation measures that took place in the meantime had to be carried out entirely from our own funds. For this reason, the involvement of the Free State of Saxony in funding for these purposes is a positive signal and at the same time represents an important step towards maintaining affordable rents for the future.
Almost all of our student halls of residence were completely renovated in the 1990s with the help of state funding. However, some 25 years after the extensive renovation works, now there is again a great need for maintenance, renovation and modernisation measures to ensure that the buildings can be rented out and maintain their value in the long term. Currently, and in the years to come, many student halls of residences need to be renovated at the same time. This concerns especially kitchens, bathrooms and the piping systems.
The renovation of technical services and fire safety related refurbishment in the student hall of residence in Straße des 18. Oktober No. 23-33 was started in 2016. Between 2016 and 2017 the renovation of houses No. 25 and 29 with a total of 388 dormitories was completed.
