Dominic Knapp accused Mayor Michael Ludwig of “taking money out of the citizens’ pockets” – especially from municipal apartment tenants. The charge relates to a current court ruling that Wiener Wohnen must reimburse tenants up to 6,000 euros after steep rent increases due to housing subsidy loans ending.
In September and November, housing subsidies will end in 37 municipal housing complexes in Vienna alone – leading to significant rent increases of several hundred euros per month. Knapp said even though it has now been determined in court that the increases were illegal, Mayor Ludwig has continued to collect money from citizens.
Knapp also points to other fee increases that were implemented by the SPO under Mayor Michael Ludwig, such as trash collection, sewage, sewer fees, district heating prices, parking fees and pool tariffs. “Ludwig SPO cannot operate with the money that hard-working Viennese earn. An example is the terrible minimum security payments to foreign nationals,” complains the president of the Viennese FPÖ.
As a solution, Knapp promised that as mayor he would reverse all fee increases within 48 hours.
