The Free State of Bavaria announced plans to build 1,010 new flats in its capital within the following five years. With this measure, the State aims at relieving the housing market in Germany’s third largest city. "It's not about penthouses or luxury apartments, but about affordable housing," the States Finance Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said on today in Munich.

The flats should house about 2,800 people, mostly employees of the State. The Flats are planned to cost Bavaria around 200 million Euros. They will be built by state owned Stadibau, mostly on building ground also owned by Bavaria.

The current refugee crisis has only worsened the situation, which already was difficult in the past. Therefore, the Minister called for changes to simplify procedures regarding building to make it faster, more efficient and cheaper. Something the German industry, as well as the general population have been talking about for years.